


Whispered Curse

by KryHeart_Ardy



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, Changeling The Lost Lore, Curses, F/M, Rawism, The Witcher Lore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:03:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28997187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KryHeart_Ardy/pseuds/KryHeart_Ardy
Summary: The malicious nature of humanity can give birth to more evil then any Grimm. Before the Great War James Ironwood unknowingly ended up on the receiving end of true hatred. His curse drove him throughout Remnant only to end up with only the worst possible option. For two centuries he lived with his curse, no hope of breaking it. The years passing him by till a certain silver eyed warrior falls out of the sky and into his lap. Maybe there could be more to his half life then he thought.
Relationships: James Ironwood/Ruby Rose
Comments: 23
Kudos: 17





	1. Birthed in Hate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ardy: Not enough Witcher in there to justify putting it in as a crossover, but just enough to have some fun.

The gibbous moon was bathed in red as a tall man strode through a miasmic bog. The muddy water sloshed about his worn heavy leather boots, pulled at his tattered moth eaten cloak. Slowly the ground hardened, grasses holding mud together as he found a winding path through the muck. He could see children's footprints on the path but hauled his gaze up as he came to a fence. It was made of human bones with skulls lovely placed on the poles.

He opened the rickety gate with his left hand and took up his lurching gait. His right leg lagging behind him lame. His breath curled in the cold air as the fog peeled back to reveal a single large shack. It’s roof was a thick thatch but slightly akilter the door thin wood that betrayed the glow beyond. Pain grew ever harder to manage as he dragged his leg behind him through a ring of toadstools.

The traveler fell through the doorway with a stumble, the door crashing against the wall to bang shut after him. His breath rattled as he coughed blood, it splattered the muddy floor. The room was bare save a square huge tapestry on one wall. Three beautiful ladies within it, all three were nude but for frayed roughly sewn dresses the colour of old blood. All three had long brown hair. Around this tapestry were fat old candles that burned in pale orange. Three deer skulls framed the wall one above the tapestry with others framing the corners.

“What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be he-re!”

The man turned his attention away from his saviors to a woman that came stuttering into the room. She was an old crone with sagging flesh and blind eyes. He forced his chest to move, to expand. “I come.” He had to stop as blood dripped from his lips. “I come to appeal to the ladies for help.”

The crone narrowed her foggy gaze but walked to the tapestry where she placed a hand upon it. “Ladies lovely, with power o’er all. Beseech I thee, answer my call. Before you a worm crawls, wretched and small.”

Whispers grew on the very edge of his hearing, rapid and fleeting he was unable to make out clear words.

The woman’s voice changed harsher and layered as three voices spoke through her. “How dare you disturb our rest woman?”

“Ladies I appeal to you.” A wet breath stole his voice as he lurched a step forward. The agony as he raised his hand screamed across his flesh. With a tug he ripped the tattered cloak out of the way. His right side was but raw angry flesh, weeping and inflected, bones of his ribs, arm and fingers showing through. “I have been cursed.” His strength gave out and he fell to his single good knee. “Break it, heal me please.”

“We don’t break curses, we cast them.” One of the voices chuckled.

Despair broke his labouring heart and he collapsed face first into the wooden floor.

* * *

The smell of gingerbread slowly dragged his mind back into the waking world. He drew a long moist breath, as his vision slowly cleared. The steepled ceiling slowly came into focus. The bed he laid on was thin and lumpy.

“Oh good your aware, musn’t keep the ladies waiting.”

A dirty apron came into view as he slowly put together the crone had walked into the room. “I don’t understand.”

“A lady came, she weaved you back together again. Now you owe her a boon of her choosing. A name would be a good start.”

“James.” James wisely kept his full name to himself, never could know what trouble witches could get into once they had your full name from your own lips.

“James, what a comely name.” The crone said but made no move to help him as he slowly sat up.

James looked down at his right side, it had been bandaged up with clean linens. His chest was strange, bits of… skin he guessed had been sewn into him. The stitches were thick black and repulsive. Slowly he stood and found he did not have the same pain as before. It had dwindled down to a throbbing ache.

The crone lead him to the main room and this time sitting under the tapestry was a woman. A lush beautiful lady in her ragged dress, wild brown hair streaming down her back. “You wake, good lad.”

“Thank you. Why through?” James raised his left arm so he could lean against the doorframe.

“My dear sister looked into your curse. It was laid down upon a man favoured by our rival, we have no agent of our own. No in-between man. You will be it.”

James looked down at his right hand, covered in bandages. “Am I well then?”

“Alas no, our rival is our equal, we can not free you from your curse. We have it’s words.”

James’ eyes widened a fraction, it was that missing piece of information that had driven him to such lengths to begin with. “What do you want for them?”

The crone had returned to the tapestry and placed her hand back upon it. This time her voice only carried two within it. “Oh he’s a smart one sister.”

“A young woman entered our lands two days ago. Rare blood in the girl, priceless blood. Bring her to us.”

James’ lips thinned, he didn’t like how that sounded one bit. “And if I can’t?”

“Then you’ll rot away, so long as you remain in our lands we will hold your curse at bay.”

“Seems I don’t have any choice.” 

“Hehehe, of course not. Now our servant will cloth you.” The voices from the crone stopped as she shuffled away from the tapestry to a side room.

The woman on the floor raised her hands her weaving. “The girl is a short lass red of hair and silver of eyes. Silva Rose she calls herself.”

The crone returned arms laded with clothing.

“I wove these myself while you rested, they will help hold your flesh together.”

James dressed carefully, the tunic was brown and tight across his chest. It rubbed against his skin and itched. The vest was black leather that pressed the tunic into his skin. The crone helped him. Gauntlets with bracers over top, thin leather pauldrons. Bit by bit he was covered from his jaw down in the rough garb. A long coat of black disgusted the layers with a brown cloak on top.

“Hmm you make a dashing young lad with some colour in your cheeks and a nice suit.” The lady stood up, her nudity becoming more appart. “You’ll find a black mare outside, she is yours. Silva travels northwest from here as we speak, make haste.”

“Thank you.” James bowed his head to her and walked out of the house. His stride strong and sure, it was mid day the sun had driven off the fog. A large black mare stood in the middle of the toadstool circle, her eyes were a dark rusty red. _Now that’s not normal._ James however knew he had about as much choice in his actions as a worm about to be stepped on. So he cautiously approached the mare… who stared at him looking bored.

He reached out but could not feel her coat, he could feel the cold of her flesh though. He grabbed her withers and vaulted up onto her back. Through his breeches he could feel that she was fair colder than his first touch had betrayed. He gently nudged her to the northwest. The mare sprung into a gallope forcing him to hold tight in sheer fright. James wove his hands tight into her mane but he soon settled. Then noticed that she never sank into the mud, her hooves left prints the same as any steed but the muck could not suck her in.

 _A kelpie. Good Gods what have I got myself into?_ James wondered and made a mental note not to take his horse anywhere near deeper water. Though drowning did seem like a better way to go then rotting while alive. The bog flew by them and the mare slowed down as they approached the highlands. He wasn’t sure how he was to find one woman in all of Solitas’s steep lands. However the mare seemed to have a clear direction in mind. So he went along with it, the peasant folk gave him a wide berth as he passed through their towns.

The wind whipped through the woods, the creeks of trees were loud in his ears as the day wore on. James found her traveling the west road out of the bog. “Hail!”

Silva Rose reigned in her own steed, another mare though smaller than his own and brushed a dark red lock out of her face. “Hail! What do you need my friend?” Her silver eyes flicked around him rapidly as she turned her horse to face him.

“Your help.” James sat heavily into the kelpie’s back causing it to stop. He couldn’t help but find it odd that a woman was travelling alone, or with such a large thin scar curving over her cheekbone.

Silva smiled. “Well that depends on what you have to offer.”

“I have nothing, but I come on behalf of the Ladies of the wood.”

James could not read her face as she said. “The Crones of Crookback bog?” She studied him for a long moment before nodding. “And here I thought they’d never invite me. Lead the way.”

* * *

They rode in silence, James guessed she wasn’t one for conversation. Night had come again by the time they arrived at the crooked house. This time the sky was clear as they arrived.

James jumped as those inhuman voices were carried upon the wind all around them moans of orgasm in the air. His kelpie stamped a foot as he and Silva dismounted.

They heard the Ladies of the wood before they saw them. The mud betraying their bare foot steps. Silva spun around drawing a sword off her saddle as she raised it poised to attack.

James had to fight down a gag, the three were beyond ugly, mottled red skin, two hunched over with long arms ending in huge clawed hands. Skinny with rags bound them in makeshift clothes. Their faces veiled away under thick red cloth, the last was obese her step a waddle with what appeared to be a basket locked over her head. 

The biggest said. “Sheath your weapon young woman, hmm she’s even lovelier in real life.”

Silva did no such thing instead glancing over to James, as if she expected him to change his shape. “What do you want?”

James heard growls all around them and Grimm hauled their inky black bodies out of the muck. 

“We’ve long waited for a silver eyed warrior to stray into our lands.” The brewess raised her hand. “Well done lad, now sleep.”

James didn’t even feel it when he hit the ground.

* * *

Clop. Clop. Clop. The muck slid off black hooves as James raised his gaze to the sky. A manta exploded high above him in the distance, raining shrapnel down into the bog. He could see people scatter from it, huntsmen no doubt. He stroked his steeds mane. “Shall we go investigate Falka?”

The mare flicked her head and set off towards the wreckage. James reached up to make sure his scarf was in place, concealing his features from his cheekbones down. The ages had moved forward leaving him behind, Arthur Watts had vanished much to his ire. Mostly so he could not murder the one that had cast this curse upon him. He remembered it taking as if were yesterday, when it had in fact been nearly two centuries. For nearly that long he had been indentured to the Crones. Eventually he had learned that their names were Weaveress, Brewess and Whisperess. Had he known what their help would have cost him he would have favoured death. It would have been preferable to seeing the world move on without him.

Falka wasn’t in any particular rush to deliver James to the crash site. Even if they both knew the bog would consume the bodies and ship in no time. As they grew closer James spotted a red petal floating in a puddle. “Hold.” The mare stopped and he swung down out of her weathered saddle. He stepped over onto a grassy lump and plucked the petal out of the water.

James brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. It still carried the faint scent of roses, he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen a rose much less touched one. He pulled the scarf down and pressed the rose to his chapped lips. It was so soft, his jaw creaked as he parted his lips as little as possible and set the petal on his tongue. He moaned softly, the petal tasted as good as it smelled. The aches of his mouth dwindled away as he slowly sucked on the petal.

He turned his attention to the sky, the wind was blowing in from the north. So he started walking that way, stepping with centuries of practice from one thicker landmass of grass mud to another, avoiding the mud and puddles that would trap him. After a couple minutes he found another petal. Rather than swallow the one that remained on his tongue. He pulled an empty pouch from a pocket and placed the petal inside.

The petals grew steadily more numerous. Falka tossed her head in annoyance at this slow progress as her friend picked up every petal he came across. James lurched when the source of the petals came into view.

It seemed that she had landed on her back. She was a small woman who was not even slightly dressed for the weather. James noted off hand, what kind of insane person would wear a skirt in the fall? He lumbered over to her and pressed two fingers to her neck. Alive. Well that was a surprise. He brushed a hand through her hair only to gather another warm petal. He swallowed the one on his tongue, his throat protested against the action profoundly. Then set the warm petal on his tongue. His eyes glazed over for a moment, oh it was even better while warm.

It was clear that she was the source of the petals so James scooped her up out of the mud. He strode up to Falka. “Look what I found.”

Falka huffed and rolled a red eye at him.

“Yes yes, I know how much you like people.” James turned the girl over onto her front and set her over Falka’s withers. “One will have to do.” He mounted up behind Ruby. “Take us home.”

* * *

Ruby blinked a few times and lurched upright. Her head pounded and she hissed pressing a hand to it. Then her other hand flew to her waist, _where’s the Relic!?_ She glanced around and found the lantern floating on the bedside table. Finally the rest of her surroundings came into focus. The room she was in was large and rectangular with a high ceiling. Herbs were hanging from the rafters drying. There were a pair of swords mounted on one wall. The ground was wood but with carpets. In the middle against the far wall was a hearth fire, with a table before it. It seemed like a very well loved space, with everything a person needed to live. What made Ruby’s heart pound was the man sitting by the fire.

The fire cast his features into shadow but even at this distance she could make out his blue eyes. He stood and she gulped, he was a giant of a man with shaggy black hair and a clean shaven jaw. What frightened her was the he was as tall as Ozpin but broader throughout. “How are you feeling?” His voice contradicted his looks, it was soft and smoothing even if it cracked at the end of his sentence.

Ruby gently reached up and touched the back of her head. “I think I hit my head.” She winced as she gently prodded a lump, then she looked at her arm to find an impressive purple bruise on her wrist.”

James moved slowly picking up a small clay pot. Ruby thought he looked like he creaked with every action. “I have a salve, I was just warming it. I did not wish to wake you with a shock.”

“Uhh thank you?” Ruby thought he measured each word, he spoke as if forming them took real effort on his part.

James sat beside her on the large bed, he dabbled two gloved fingers into the salve and gently smeared it over the bruise. “What do you remember?”

Ruby wondered why he didn’t take his gloves off. “We were borrowing a manta, the border guard of Argus shot us out of the sky… Did you find any of my friends?!”

“No, just you.” James wondered what her skin felt like.

Ruby drooped. “I hope they are okay… I should go look for them.”

James raised a hand making her pause. “Your legs are battered as well, I would advise against moving.”

Ruby’s guts twisted over on themselves, Qrow would have been able to fly but everyone else… Tears gathered in her eyes, she hoped they were okay. “Where am I?”

“The bog’s northernmost edge.” James set the pot aside and stood up. “I made stew if you are hungry.”

“Yes please… can you take me to Mantle?”

“No.” James picked a wooden bowl up from the table.

“Why not?” Ruby finally noticed she was nude under the sheet, she really wasn’t sure what to make of that.

“I can’t leave the bog.” James ladled a large helping of stew into the bowl. Glad that Anna had forced him to learn to cook.

“Why not?”

James returned to her and offered the bowl with a spoon. “I am cursed, it’s only by the will of the Ladies of the Wood that I am not a living corpse. Their power does not extend beyond the bog, if I leave I will decay.”

Ruby’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull, she looked him over again and noticed he didn’t have any skin exposed below his jaw. “Would… would you be James?”

James looked sharply over to her, he stared for a moment into her silver eyes. “So Silva lived then.”

“She’s my great grandmother. Her daughter Ivy wrote all her stories down, you were in them as one of the sad endings.”

James turned away from her and sat down by the fire. “Then you likely know more than I do.”

“I know you were a general of Mantle, before the Great war. That some of Mantle’s defeat was blamed on your absence. That you traveled all of Remnant before going missing looking for a cure to your curse.” Ruby poked a piece of beef in the stew. “I guess you ended up here.”

“For what it is worth, I apologize for bringing your great grandmother to the Ladies.”

Ruby shook her head slowly. “It’s okay, she worked out long ago that you probably didn’t have much choice in the matter. Besides, they got to taste her sword and she got away. Why did you do it though? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“The Ladies said they would tell me the words to my curse.”

“And?”

“You are a heartless emotionless zombie, so be one.”

Ruby winced. “Yeah not much room for interpretation in that one. Do you have any idea who cast it?”

“Arthur Watts, he was our spymaster at the time and we never got along. Though I did not hear him utter it.”

“Wait what? Arthur died like seven years ago. You shouldn’t still be cursed. And there is no way he lived this long or that long. Whatever.”

“He must not be dead then, besides it’s too late to lift my curse. I’d fall apart without it.”

“Well with an attitude like that you sure will. Technology has come a long way maybe if we could stop the curse your life could be saved too.” Ruby had a mouthful of stew.

“Your optimism is astounding.” James said dryly.

“Yeah I get that a lot.” Ruby focused on eating, she needed to get better to go look for her friends. “Was my Scroll on me?”

James nodded at the table. “I am assuming you mean what that was.”

Ruby sat up a bit higher to see the bits of her Scroll on the table. It looked like she had landed on it. “Sugar honey ice tea.”

“I’m afraid you are stuck here till you mend.”

The silver eyed warrior glanced over at the Relic of Knowledge, worry turned over in her stomach making it hard to eat. For the Grimm that would come for the relic, for her friends who she just hoped were alive. For her uncle and sister, she chewed more slowly as the tears started to build in her eyes. She rubbed at them with the back of her hand. “Sorry, I know they will draw Grimm.”

“It’s fine. I have had many years to perfect the art of combat.”

“W-where are my clothes?”

“Soaking, they were saturated with mud. Once I was sure that there was no blood pooling in your brain I was going to ride to a village to get you something to wear.” James reached into the pouch he had put her petals in. All this talking was murder on his throat.

Ruby shuddered as the dying man put one of her petals on his tongue. He didn’t appear to chew it, she wondered what the heck that was about. “When will that be?”

“Tomorrow. You should stay conscious for as long as possible.”

The red head stared into her food and forced herself to eat. It was good and she needed her strength. When it was half gone she asked. “When you go to town can you ask after my friends? They’re Yang, Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Maria, Ozpin and Qrow.”

James inclined his head rather than verbally respond. The rose petal was soothing his throat, why he had no idea but it was wonderful. Ruby finished her stew and carefully pushed the blanket back to look at her legs. There was some impressive bruising on her left thigh and her right ankle was wrapped up. “What did I do to my foot?”

“Sprained it.”

A sprain wasn’t so bad, that wouldn’t keep her off her feet for too long. “Can you help me to the bathroom?”

James stood and walked over then knelt down offering his left side. “Do not touch my right side.”

“Okay.” Ruby reached up to him and he wrapped his arm around her side and lifted her up. Ruby blushed as bright as her hair but he didn’t comment on her nudity. He helped her patiently as she hobbled over to a side room beside the bed.

James waited outside while she relieved herself. He was aware that she was pretty, but he hadn’t had a sex drive since his curse was laid upon him. Still her blush had been amusing. He finally swallowed the petal on his tongue and sighed as it brought relief to his throat.


	2. Treatment

The night had been tense, Ruby curled herself up into a ball as far away from James as she could manage. For despite his curse of a living death, he still seemed to need to sleep and eat. She couldn’t help but find that interesting, a lot of him still had to be alive for his body to need those things. She had no idea what he hid under his clothes, he had changed in the bathroom and remained completely bundled up tight. She wasn’t used to feeling another presence in her bed, but what really kept her up was the wind.

They had taken a train to Mistral from the docks so there had been no need for a lot of camping. What camping they did in Vale, well the forest was different. It was old large trees that the wind had a hard time moving. These trees while old weren’t like that at all, with every gust they creaked howled. Whenever the wind waned she could hear the fire and that was better but then she could hear wolves in the distance. Or wild dogs, she couldn’t tell the two apart. Her mind twisted in on itself wondering about her friends and family. Or where Crescent Rose was, James hadn’t mentioned her weapon.

Dawn came and James rose as soon as the sun peered up over the horizon. Ruby didn’t move as he set about making a pottage for breakfast. She watched him from under the furs, they were up around her nose. All his movements were slow and deliberate, _measured,_ she decided. So he could do what he set out to do with no wasted energy. She did notice that everything around them seemed really old fashioned. No fridge or oven, shelves built into the walls to keep grain up off the floor. He had what appeared to be apples stored up in a loft.

Ruby didn’t recognize what type they were. “What are those?”

“Costards.” James said as he set about slicing them.

She could hear the large pot bubbling way as he put the diced apple in. Her stomach growled and she decided it was time to stop hiding. She sat up carefully drawing a fur with her to keep her chest covered. “I take it you don’t have a washing machine?”

“No, I will wash your clothes when I return.” James stirred the pot and then realized something. “I do not know your name.”

“Ruby.”

“Ruby.” James tested the word and grimaced as his throat complained against the movement. He couldn’t help but retrieve one of her petals and place it on his tongue. _It is a good name for her._

“Why do you do that?” Ruby asked, she left out that it was more than a little bit creepy.

“Speaking is painful, they sooth it.”

Ruby wondered why and was still unsettled that he was basically ingesting pieces of her Aura. However it seemed a small price to pay if it meant he’d talk to her more.

“You should stay inside.”

The silver eyed warrior's attention snapped back to him. “Why?”

“Because the Ladies don’t know you’re here. More they don’t know a Silver Eyed Warrior is in their bog again. We should keep it like that.”

Ruby shivered, Silva’s stories mention that the crones had wanted to eat her. “Won’t they be mad you’ve hidden me then?”

“Probably, but the worst they can do is let my curse run its course.” The petal was working his magic so he let himself speak more. “They can see through puddles, I’ve kept the Whisperesses ears far from this place. So we should be safe to talk.”

Avoiding puddles in a bog did seem like a tall order. “But I will have to leave to go find my friends eventually.”

“I have to work so I will keep an eye out for them. Maybe they can get another ship to pull you out quickly.”

“But the crones would still learn about me. That you hid me.” Ruby’s stomach turned just wondering what they could do to him.

“If you are quick and do not look down, perhaps not.”

“Couldn’t I ride out? On a horse?”

“I only have one and Falka would murder you.”

“A horse can’t murder someone.”

“Falka is a kelpie.”

Ruby’s heart jumped in delight, now she really wanted to meet this Falka. That was one thing she was having fun with about learning that there was more magic in the world thanks to this mess with Cinder and Salem. Meeting something outside of them would be pretty fantastic. “Wow.”

James looked up from their breakfast, he could see the thoughts flit over her face. “I meant what I said, Falka hates people. If you try anything she will carry you off to the ocean or a river and drown you… then probably eat you.”

She gulped. “Okay no touching the kelpie.”

James looked away satisfied. Ruby shivered as the wind blew again, the house was solid and sealed but it was still cold. Eventually breakfast was ready and they ate in silence. By that point Ruby’s head was throbbing anew and she was content to lay back down. James paused to watch her curl up, sleep had not come easily last night. While he had long since grown used to the constant itch his clothes created. Having another body close to him had been fundamentally strange.

He pulled on his long coat, cloak and then took one of the large claymores off the wall and headed out to Falka. Who was dozing in her stable, he mused that she was probably the most spoiled rotten kelpie that had ever lived. Still she had been his friend for these two long centuries so he didn’t hold it against her. As he approached she got to her feet and offered him her velvety black nose.

James stroked it then up under her jaw. “Good morning.” Falka bumped him in the stomach. “I trust you can keep my secret.”

Another bump with a nod. James stepped away and pulled her saddle off of the side of her stall. Getting her to allow it had taken the better part of a year. Saddle bags had been another two years, it had been a battle of wills but both immortals had ample time to be stubborn. That didn’t ever stop James from being cautious as he saddled her up though, just a snitch too tight and she’d make his folly very clear. He strapped his sword to the saddle and mounted up. “Downwarren.”

Falka set off without further prompting. James mused that it was a good morning, the sun was out in force and it hadn’t rained so the ground was as dry as it got. The petal was slowly dissolving on his tongue, he was loathed to feel it go. He would have to ask her about them at some point, though it hadn’t taken much to see that his eating of them had unsettled her. Still having the pain be soothed was worth an awkward conversation. Especially if she gave him more.

Downwarren was near due east of his home and only a few hours ride. It was a large village on a hilltop above the Ladies’ bog, not unlike his own home. Close enough to be near to them, far enough away not to be consumed by the bog. He noticed off the cuff that it was far busier than usual. Still he sought out the alderman, an old grey individual missing most of his hair and an ear. “Stephan.” He called out not bothering to dismount. “What has been going on?”

Stephan bowed his head as James drew close. “Soldiers from the cities they came flying through looking for survivors from the manta yesterday.”

James’ heart plummeted into his stomach as his throat clenched painfully. He wasn’t ready to give her up yet, not till he knew where the petals came from. He pulled one out of his pouch and placed it on his tongue. He waited a moment till it’s smoothing effect kicked in. “Where did they go? Have they found any?”

“We had three, they called themselves Ozpin, Ren and Nora. They have gone now, but said if we stumbled upon a girls named Ruby, Weiss or Yang to call the army. That general Schnee is offering a reward to anyone who finds survivors of the crash.”

James did his very best impression of a sagely nod. He would not be buying Ruby clothes in this town that was for certain. “Have you had any Grimm problems?”

“Not today sir.”

“Very good.” James nudged Falka with a heel and they headed up the incline to a small market. Here he dismounted and walked over to a meats stand, mostly dried or salted. He handed several coppers over for some jerky and a piece of salted pork. They walked to the edge of down and turned around past a building out of sight before James turned to Falka and offered the pork. “Think of this as payment for our little deal.”

Falka regarded him with a wise red eye then took the piece of pork her serrated teeth making short work of the meat. James mounted up again, he found that his friend had a preference for salted meats. Usually pork, one would think a kelpie would like its’ meat hot and bleeding but no. She liked salt.

Falka set off at a marry trot, evidently very happy with his bribe. He was tempted for them to break the schedule and race for the fishing village to the south. Try and get ahead of the news of the army in the area, get something for Ruby to wear before anyone would think much off it. What kept him from doing just that was that if the villagers knew, the Ladies would too. The Whisperess was probably watching him now, to see if he deviated from his route. If he wanted to keep her, then he’d have to act as if nothing had changed.

His next stop was Crow’s Perch, he had no doubt a significant military presence would be there but he was on good terms with the local baron. More importantly though, it was nice and far from the people he typically traded with, no one there would know that he didn’t have a mistress. Thus getting something for Ruby would be much safer.

As he moved up out of the wetlands the trees grew more numerous but he didn’t have to worry. The Ladies domain stretched farther than he ever traveled. Even if people believed in the Ladies less away from the water ways. He crossed a low bridge over to the second mainland of the bog and within minutes saw ships flying overhead. Dread turned in his stomach, clearly someone in that crash had been important. He hoped it wasn’t Ruby.

It was well into time for brunch by the time he rode up the thin bridge to the island of Crow’s Perch. The guard nodded respectfully to him. Sure enough within the high wooden walls the fort was teaming with soldiers. He paused by the seamstress and bought three plain dresses for Ruby. Storing them quickly out of sight in a saddle bag. Falka pretended to be a regular horse as they finished their trip up the side of the hill to the keep. The people made his skin crawl… more than usual. White and blue as far as the eye could see. He thought they looked like penguins.

Falka took him over to her usual spot. He noticed a young woman that looked about Ruby’s age but with bright orange hair sniffling beside two bodies. One man, one woman. The man was blonde and the woman was a black haired cat faunus. Shouting filled his ears from the barons garden only a few steps away. James put a petal on his tongue preemptively this time then dismounted and walked up to the girl only to sit on a low stone wall behind her. “Who were they?”

“Jaune and Blake.” The ginger sniffed, rubbing her eyes. “They didn’t land well.”

“And your name?”

“Nora.”

James dipped his head. “I am sorry for your loss.” _That’s most of Ruby’s friends accounted for then._

“She’s still missing! Winter we have to find her!” The voice was raspy as James looked over his shoulder.

“We will Qrow, I know Ruby means a lot to you.” General Winter Schnee was easy for James to recognize. “Weiss is still missing too. And Xaio Long can take care of herself."

“There is a fishing village south of the crash site.” The man who spoke was huge and overweight but the kind that lent itself more to a hard life of combat then just fat. He poked a map with a thick finger. “Try there next.”

James watched another man, his equal in height but with ashen hair speak up. “We will find them, both of you please calm down shouting will get us nowhere.”

The baron looked up from the map, his small eyes squinting at it as he rubbed a hand through his full black and grey beard. His grey eyes landed on James. “James! Come here, maybe you can help us!”

James stood up stiffly from the stone wall and walked into the small garden. He enjoyed the spot, the baron had collected seeds from all over Remnant and in this pocket in the bog he got them to grow. They added reds, blues, yellows, whites, pinks and purples, many colours that James was unaccustomed to seeing. “What?”

“No one knows this bog like you. A manta went down here,” He tapped a spot on the map. “My new friends here are still missing three of their number, a blonde woman named Yang Xaio Long, a slight white haired lass named Weiss Schnee and a small redhead named Ruby Rose. Have you seen any of them? If they survived, where would they go?”

James looked at the map for a long moment, he had found Ruby quite a distance from the crash site. He took a creaky step forward. “There is a cove of stone here.” He touched a spot east of the bog. “It would be visible from the crash site, a good spot to dry out. From there they would probably so south, but they might seek higher ground first.” He traced a path to the higher ground. “There is also a old lady living in the bog here.” He tapped the spot where the Ladies lived. “I would advise checking there as well. Sooner rather than later.” Hopefully Anna could handle the visitors.

“Thanks.” Qrow turned away and jumped into the air turning into a raven and flying off.

“See no man better for a search and rescue then James. He’s been in this swamp for generations!” The baron sat down on a stone bench.

James was just glad he had gathered all of Ruby’s petals, nothing for anyone to find. He looked up from the map to find the ashen haired man staring at him.

“James Ironwood?”

“Yes. You?”

“Ozpin.”

James nodded, he remembered Ozpin. “Vale’s last king.”

“I see you’ve found a cure to your curse.” Ozpin steepled his fingers together.

“No, just a means to put it on hold.” James turned his attention to the baron. “Do you have any Grimm sightings for me?”

“Had you been here last night I would have said yes, but now I’ve got Atlas crawling all over my land so no. You won’t find a Grimm from here to the Mire.”

“Crawling?! My men do not crawl!” Winter snapped at him.

“At ease Winter, it’s not worth it.” Ozpin soothed her.

“Then I will take my leave.” James turned to leave.

“Come now James, stay have a drink with us!” The baron stood up again.

James half glared at him. “You know I detest large groups.”

“Will you keep an eye out for us?” Ozpin asked, he wasn’t inclined to let the fellow immortal leave.

“If I see one, I will bring them here.” James lied smoothly, well he’d bring Weiss or Yang back. Ruby was staying with him though, he wasn’t ready to give up the only thing that had ever helped him. Even now the petal on his tongue made it easier to speak.

“Thank you.” Ozpin said and sighed. “I would like to get out there as well Winter.”

James excused himself and returned to Falka, they quickly departed the fort. It was too early to return home, after all he didn’t want Ruby to clue in that people were looking for her. Not yet anyway, once he learned about the petals he’d let her go. However it seemed a visit to the Ladies was in order, if only to make sure they didn’t eat a Schnee.

* * *

Ruby yawned and carefully stretched as she woke up from her nap. Her head throbbed but the fire had burned down, chilling the room. Very slowly she sat up and grabbed a fur from the bed. She wrapped it around her shoulders and very gingerly stood up. Her pain zipped up her leg from her ankle but she was hungry again and it was getting cold. “Ow ow ow.” She hobbled over to the fire and sat down on the stump beside it. Her ankle felt swollen and tender. She hissed through her teeth but grabbed a log and put it on the fire. Then blew a few times till it caught.

Very carefully she put her quickly freezing toes towards the fire. She peered into the thick black pot that had been used for their breakfast. Thankfully there were some leftovers in it. She scrapped it out with a spoon and nibbled on the oats and leaves. Wishing for sugar or honey. As she chewed she looked at the house again, its stone walls were smoothed over with plaster, there was a window with it’s shutters closed high up just under the loft. Many of the tools looked hand made and it was in general very clean. There was a low bookshelf across the room full of books but the journey over seemed really unwise with her foot throbbing away. She huffed as the pottage ran out and looked back at the bed. Putting her foot up sounded heavenly but that would involve standing again. The door opened with a soft creek. Ruby grinned at her savour. “James.”

“Ruby, how are you feeling?” James shut the door behind him and put his sword back on the wall. Thankfully Anna hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the missing girls.

“Hungry and my foot really hurts.”

James walked over to the table and put his saddle bags on it. He offered her his left side, Ruby reached up and was careful just to grab his shoulder. “I don’t think I can stand.” She said.

The former general humed and drew his arm in and under her knees and lifted up. Ruby almost giggled at how light she seemed to him, like a feather. He carried her back to the bed and set her down again. “I have dresses for you.” He rumbled.

“Socks?”

“No sorry. Tomorrow I will look around for some.” James kicked himself for not thinking of that.

Ruby arranged the fur over her front as he stood up and went to the table. The dresses he pulled out made Ruby blush, not because they were revealing but because they were so peasant. The highest order of boring, one was a dark blue, the other green and the last dark red. “Thank you.” She said she didn’t want him to think she was ungrateful. 

James walked over and offered the blue one. “I know they aren’t at all like what you were wearing, but they are warm.” He turned one out and arranged it so it would be easy for her to get her head and arms through the right holes.

Ruby let him help her get dressed, the dress was lined with cotton while the outside was a heavy wool. She did have to hand it to him, it was very warm and she was grateful for that. She lifted her breasts up as he pulled the tie under them closed so they had some support. “Thank you, uhh bathroom please?”

James opted just to carry her to the toilet and then back to the bed when she was done. “I’ll make dinner then see to your other clothes.”

“Thanks, I’d love socks and panties.” Ruby wrapped a fur over her feet.

Silence settled between them as James made dinner, he pulled a small roast of mutton out and put it on a spit over the fire. Carrots were fried in a pan with salt and butter. Ruby’s stomach growled when James pulled a round of bread from a bread box. It looked nice and crusty, rather than the commercially mass produced garage.

"Did you hear anything about my friends?" Ruby asked.

"No." James lied, if she knew they were in Crow's perch she'd want to go there. “How is your ankle?”

“Throbbing.” Ruby grimaced as she tried to wiggle her toes.

“I have celandine you can chew for the pain if you wish.” 

“Yes please.” Ruby didn’t know what celandine was but if it would help with her ankle and head she was willing to try it.

James stood and pulled several yellow flowers down from a line of them hanging from the ceiling. He offered them to her. “They act rather quickly. Two would be fine for now.”

Ruby took a flower, they were both just a bit smaller then her palm. She put one in her mouth and started to chew. The pollen tasted bitter but the petals didn’t have much of a taste. She munched on it as quickly as possible and swallowed then grabbed a second. James put the remaining two on the bedside table. As he walked back to the food she looked back to the herbs on the ceiling, there really were a lot of them. “Are you a herbalist?” She said around a mouthful of flower.

“Yes, more or less. Not a cunning witch but I can cure most minor ailments.” James reached out to the spit and began turning it slowly.

“That’s really neat.” Ruby thought that she had great luck to end up with a healer.

James pursed his lips then licked the bottom one as it bled slightly. Now was as good a chance as any. He reached into his pouch and pulled out one of her rose petals. “What are these?”

Ruby blushed. “Uhh, a thing my Semblance does when I use it. I guess they are bits of my Aura.”

James’ eyes widened then shock was quickly followed by dread. They came from her, if she left him they’d go too. “I see.”

Ruby looked away, she wasn’t sure what to make of that. It was still creepy as heck that he put the petal in his mouth.

James was thinking back on her great grandmother, the crones had said she had special blood. Ruby had silver eyes, these petals made him feel better. Maybe she had special blood too. He was tempted to ask if he could draw a little, take it to his alchemy lab and see if it had any special properties.

The silver eyed warrior didn’t like how his brow creased in thought. “What are you… if you want to ask something ask it.”

“Well, these petals ease my pain and the Ladies wanted your great grandmothers blood. I was wondering if I might draw a little, see if I can’t work out what’s special about it.”

Ruby went pale but she was curious about it too. “Maybe after dinner?” James raised brow was the only thing that betrayed his surprise so Ruby elaborated. “I’m curious too.”

“Thank you.”

Ruby laid down, she hurt less and was growing tired as a result after the restless night. They ate in silence and then James left to work on the laundry. With her stomach full Ruby had a much easier time falling asleep. It was growing late by the time he returned, at a little coaxing she chewed more celandine and he made a neat little cut on her wrist that she barely felt. He bandaged her wrist afterwards then headed out.

His alchemy shop had even more herbs than his house. Filled with a plethora of apparatus for the trade. He sat down on a stool and lit several candles. One thing he had noticed instantly was that her blood had a… _sweet_ scent very akin to the roses he had been eating all day. Curiosity was quick to get the better of him. Slowly he worked off his right bracer and glove. The raw flesh and bone of his hand never failed to disgust him. The scent that rolled off of it alone, many a lesser man would have puked. Still he had a theory as to what was happening when he ate the petals.

Slowly he submerged his decaying hand in the shallow bowl of blood. Very slowly the pain faded away till it was gone entirely. He didn’t dare to hope as he lifted his hand out and stared jaw on the floor.

It was completely healed. “Good Gods.” He uttered, then hesitantly reached out with his other hand and moved the sticky dripping blood down his arm. He could see the flesh slowly regrow as the blood was absorbed into his skin. He touched his thumb and forefinger together and found the skin baby soft. He grabbed an hour glass and turned it upside down, then flipped to a new page of his journal.

_Silver Eyed Warrior Blood_

_Regenerative properties on touch._

_Curse Breaking?_

He set the journal aside and grabbed several of his favourite healing herbs. After all he had centuries to try and find combinations that helped with his condition. He grabbed a set of vials and carefully poured the blood into them then capped them to keep it from oxidizing. He chopped, pounded, crushed and diced a large variety of herbs.

_SEWB plus two Celandine: Fastening acting and numbing._

_SEWB plus one Arenaria: Slower acting than straight blood, thickens blood._

James watched as his hand started to decay again and noted it down. By the time he ran out of material to work with his journal read.

_SEWB - Exactly one hour before curse returns._

_SEWB plus two Celandine flowers: Faster acting than straight blood but wanes ten minutes sooner._

_SEWB plus one Arenaria: Last a full half hour longer, also slower to be absorbed._

_SEWB plus one Arenaria to fifteen grams of seal fat: Absorbs in ten minutes, lasts two hours. - Further experimentation required._

_SEWB plus one Berbercane fruit: Same effect as standard blood on skin, when ingested significant decrease of interior pain._

_-Potion base?_

James looked at his dying arm, it still looked mostly normal due to the oil he had smeared on it. His tanned skin tinted red, excitement warred with reason. He had found something to treat his condition with but it meant he’d have to keep her. That he couldn’t let her go, maybe not ever. He’d die all over again, if he found some way to stretch her blood as far as it could go. Maybe he could live a normal life, how could he tell her this? She had no reason to help him, she had people that were looking for her. His guts turned in on themselves, he’d have to hide her from them. Keep her all to himself… somehow.


	3. Bad Choices

Ruby woke late with her headache back with a vengeance. Breakfast though was almost done and she saw by the fire none other than her panties, socks and boots. She shot upright. “Socks! Oww!” She grabbed her head.

James stood up from stirring their breakfast with a near silent chuckle. He had brought the rest of her clothes in from the shed he washed things in and had hung them from the ceiling to warm them. He grabbed her socks, panties, her red dress and walked over. “Good morning.”

“Easy for you to say.” Ruby whimpered, curling up onto her side.

James set the clothes down and offered her another flower head of celandine. “The sooner you chew, the sooner you can get on with your day.”

Ruby snagged it from his fingers and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing as vigorously she dared. James got up and returned to their breakfast. He had dug out some suet with seeds from his stores to bulk out their breakfast. She had clearly been hungry by the time he returned yesterday so better to fill out their meal now.

When the painkiller started to kick in, Ruby got dressed as best she could without standing. Getting her sock on one foot had been easy and wonderful for her chilled toes, but her ankle was still swollen so a second sock was a solid no go. “My ankle is still puffy.”

James walked back to her and sat down on the edge of the bed. Ruby put the heel of her foot on his thigh. He gently unwrapped it, it looked the same as it had when he had wrapped it up. Purple and angry.

Ruby huffed glaring at it. “Why hasn’t my Aura fixed that yet?”

“I don’t know.” James put her foot back on the bed, then retrieved a pot of salve and fresh bandages.

The silver eyed warrior nibbled on her lip as he gently smeared the cool cream over the swollen skin. She wasn’t used to other people patching up her injuries and he was very gentle. Her foot looked small in his hands as he carefully bound her ankle. “There, would you like help to the bathroom?”

“Yes please.”

Afterwards James carried her over to the fire and placed her in a seat he had borrowed from his washing shed. “It won’t do you ankle much good to be down but it’s warmer.”

Ruby stuck her hands out towards the fire to dry the last of the water from them. “I’ll take warmer and I’m tired of laying down.”

James chuckled, then frowned and rubbed his chest. The usual ache from when he did that wasn’t present. “Give it ten minutes, I bet you’ll be tired after you finish eating.”

“Probably.” Ruby watched him stir their breakfast for a second before asking. “Soo, learn anything yesterday?”

James nodded. “Your blood has restorative properties. At least for me. It healed… I’d rather not say actually. Let’s just say it held my curse back for an hour where I applied it. I started experimenting with adding herbs to it last night and it seems to have a highly reactive in it’s magical properties with said herbs.”

Ruby thought that was the longest she had ever heard him speak for. “That’s very cool.” Her eyes flicked to her bandaged wrist. “So I guess you think my petals help too?”

“I have no doubt they do. I did consider attempting to make a poultice out of them but having something that I can put in my mouth was more appealing.”

The silver eyed warrior held in her shudder. For some reason giving him blood had been less unsettling then him eating bits of her Aura. “Do you have many left?”

“No. I’ll save them for when I have to speak now.”

Ruby tried to tug on her Aura, to manifest it. It felt sluggish but eventually she managed a little flicker. She pursed her lips, was it because it was healing her? But then it didn’t seem to be doing that either, so what was wrong with her Aura? She was startled out of her thoughts when James offered her a bowl of breakfast. “Thank you.”

“Are you alright?”

Ruby pushed the pottage around, it looked much more hearty today. “My Aura isn’t working like normal.”

“I am afraid I can not help you there, I know little about it.” James set about eating and his throat quickly began to hurt again.

Hunger made her push her worried thoughts aside as she devoured breakfast. Eventually she asked. “So what are you doing to do today?”

“Part of my job is to hunt Grimm for the Ladies. They can take over the Grimm that walk directly into her swamp but the villages aren’t protected. So I patrol the region killing any Grimm I come across. The villages pay a tax to me in return. It’s how I afford food and such.” James grimaced then pulled one of her petals out and stuck it on his tongue now that he was done eating.

“That’s cool…” Ruby looked away from him to the swords on the wall. “When you found me did you find a scythe?”

“No, just you.”

“Oh… what about my friends? Did you meet any yesterday?”

Guilt turned over his James’ stomach, she’d ask him to bring them to her if he told the truth. Then she’d leave him and he’d go back to a life of pain and suffering. She made him feel better,  _ just one more day. _ “No.” His heart ached as she wilted. “I’m sorry.”

Ruby looked over her shoulder to the Relic. “Then… could you do me a favour?”

“What?”

“That lantern needs to get to Atlas. Even if you can’t leave the bog, there must be someone who can take it the rest of the way.”

James wondered if that was part of the reason her friends were so desperate to find her. “I can ask the baron.”

“Thank you. It will draw Grimm here so unless you want to be always fighting them. It really should leave. Seeing as I’m not healing quickly I can’t do it myself.” Fatigue started to pull at her eyes. “Maybe keep it out of sight, the Ladies would probably find it interesting.”

James reached over and took her bowl from her, he set it aside and scooped her up. Then tucked her back into bed. Ruby blinked up at him. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so tired.”

“Probably one of the first times in your life that you are healing without Aura. Your fatigue is normal. Get some rest, I’ll try to be home sooner.”

Ruby nodded and closed her eyes.

James readied himself for the day, and picked up the lamp. He had been curious about what it was but something was telling him that he really didn’t want the trouble it would bring. He grabbed a sack and concealed the lantern. The rest of his morning went as usual but skipped his visit to the alderman and went straight for Crow’s Perch. This time he bought several pairs of socks and panties. The seamstress chuckled at his slight blush when she asked about his new lady.

After which he rode up to keep but the overcast had driven the leaders of the search party indoors. Still he knew his way around, the barons study was a large warm space with wooden walls and floor. Several tables and a desk. Within was the baron, Ozpin and Winter again. 

“James you’re early! Though I still don’t have any Grimm for you.” The baron said.

James had placed one of the few remaining petals on his tongue before entering so he said. “I’m actually not here for you.” He pulled the bag contain the relic off his shoulder and removed it from the bag. “This definitely wasn’t in my bog before the crash.” It was swiped from his hands before he had time to blink.

Ozpin cradled the lamp in his hands, he could tell it still had one question left. He let out a sigh of relief then frowned deeply. “This was with Ruby, did you find any sign of her? She leaves rose petals when she uses her Semblance. I saw her use it to get away from the explosion but didn’t see where she landed.”

Guilt reared its head again, he sounded so worried. “No just that.”

“Maybe… Ozpin it’s been two days now. Weiss and Yang were together and they hadn’t seen Ruby… maybe you should consider-.”

“No.” Ozpin growled at her. “Qrow will find her, he always finds her.”

_ Just one more day, then I’ll tell them I found her. _ “I’ll keep an eye out.” James turned and left before they had a chance to draw him back into the conversation. He and Falka made their usual rounds at a canter rather than a walk, he figured that no one would look too closely at that. When he returned Ruby was still asleep.

He unpacked and opened his dresser, condensing his clothing down to have a little spot for Ruby’s new garments. They looked odd next to the gifts from the Ladies. He just hoped Ruby never clued in that they were woven from human hair. The Ladies sure liked to make things out of human parts.

He added a log to the fire, then decided to refill the stockpile beside it. It was a bit strange to be home before nightfall, but he had plenty to do. As he worked his mind turned over. He knew he should give her back to her friends but on the other hand. Her petals and blood drove the pain of being half rotted away. She was small, beautiful and while he could feel no sexual urge. Having her be around was pleasant in a way he couldn’t put a finger on.

The axe swung down and he lopped a round of wood in half. He grabbed a half and put it back on the stump he chopped on. General Schnee seemed to think time was running out for her. Maybe if he could keep her hidden for a few more days, the army presence would leave. Maybe he could convince her that her friends had left her behind. That he’d never do that to her, that she was safe with him.

_ CHOP _ . The wood fell to the ground with soft twin thuds. He didn’t want the pain to come back but there was also the problem of the Ladies. There was no way she’d be content to stay inside forever, he had to think of some way to get the Ladies to let him keep her. She was a huntress that much was clear and some help keeping the Grimm controlled would be great. So he had a job she could even do with him. Maybe that was the solution, he could tell the Ladies that he wanted her help. That she was more useful alive with him, then in their stew pot.

James finished chopping and stored the pieces away. He washed off his gloves and found Ruby awake inside. “How are you feeling?”

“The same. I hope the lantern will be okay.” Ruby sat up and swung her legs down, hissing as blood rushed to her ankle.

“I am sure it will be fine.” James helped her through their routine then set it down by the fire again. “What would you like for dinner?”

“Yesterday's roast was good.”

“I have a round of beef.” James said and started to prepare their meal.

Ruby found it fascinating how he worked, all the spices he had in little jars. How quick and efficient he was.

“I bought you some more socks and underwear.”

“Thank you.” Ruby felt guilty that he was so kind to her and yet asked nothing in return. No comments about her paying him back. He was even letting her decide what they were to eat. She looked at her wrist again. “I guess… you could take some blood again tonight if you want.”

“I would, I have a foundation of things I’d like to try with it.” James set the skewed meat on the stands. “Do you think you could turn this while I prepare vegetables?”

“Sure.” Ruby reached out with her good hand and slowly turned it like she had seen him do the night before.

James watched her out of the corner of his eye as he worked. She was still pale but the firelight made her skin glow a light gold. She really was very pretty, like a living master-crafted statue. He thought back on the words of Ozpin. Qrow, that shapeshifter was looking for her. Maybe before he did any experimentation with her blood, setting up a new ward would be a good idea. Just a little something something to turn anyone away from his home for a bit. It was extremely rare that any villager would seek him out, so it was unlikely that any harm would come of it.

Ruby started to hum a little tune, she wanted something to listen to that wasn’t wind and fire.

James stopped chopping just to listen to her. He couldn’t help but stare a little slack jawed, music. When had been the last time he heard music? Her voice was soft at the best of times and he found he enjoyed it.

She looked over to him. “Sorry am I disturbing you?”

“No, no, please. I just haven’t heard music in… well a long time. Please continue.”

Ruby shrugged and did just that, she didn’t have any words in mind but she hummed soothing tunes instead. James forced himself not to stare and placed the vegetables under the meat on a tray so the fat would drip onto them. He took over turning the meat as she hummed tunes.

James had run out of petals but he wanted to talk to her. “You have a lovely voice.”

Ruby blushed and picked at the cuff of a sleeve. “Thank you, most people say it’s annoying. I can be a bit shrill when I get excited.”

“Well you seem young yet, controlling our voices comes with practice.” James said, he could feel blood dripping down his throat after that sentence but he forced another. “How old are you?”

“Seventeen.”

“Then you have plenty of time to improve.” James reached up and dabbed blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Are you okay?” Ruby asked, she knew he wasn’t but didn’t have a better way to phrase her question.

James grimaced and swallowed trying to get the blood out of the way. “Talking just opens… sores for lack of a better word. I ran out of petals while working.”

Ruby could see the sheen of blood on his teeth for a second as he spoke. “Sorry.” She clasped her hands together. Now she felt bad for speaking to him, not that he had to talk to her but… it was nice to have someone to talk to. With him she wasn’t a team leader or a huntress, she was just herself. That hadn’t really been the case since Beacon started. She chewed on her lip, it was creepy when he ate her petals but then if this was what happened when he talked without them. She found she could understand it.

The silver eyed warrior glared at her hands and summoned up the dregs of her Aura. She willed it between her hands and focused till she felt the Aura shift from energy to matter. She opened her hands and admired the single perfect rose petal. “I’m sorry here.” She held her cupped hands up over to him.

James reached for it then hesitated. “I’ve been making you uncomfortable eating them.” He grimaced and covered his mouth tightly as the blood pooled under his tongue.

“It’s alright, I’d rather you not be so… I like talking to you.”

James nodded and got up.

Ruby watched him head to the bathroom and heard him spit into the sink. Pity for him ramped up several notches, he seemed to be such a kind man. If she ever saw Arthur Watts, she’d do whatever it took to make him lift his curse. James returned, took the petal from her and placed it on his tongue. Ruby put her hands back in her lap, her head and ankle hurt but she decided to try and keep humming little tunes as they sat in silence waiting for the petal to work it’s magic.

Eventually James said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Ruby watched the fat sizzle as the beef cooked. “Maybe you could teach me to cook on a fire? I have never learned.”

“Sure.”

Ruby looked over at his bookshelf. The light from the sun was waning but she was out of tunes. “Could I read your books too? I love reading, usually engineering stuff and fairy tales.”

James got up and walked over his books. He didn’t have much, they were mostly herb books but something would probably be better than nothing. A worn brown leather backed book caught his attention, he hadn’t read it in years. He sat back down and offered the book to her. “Would you read it aloud?”

“Sure, though I will need tea or something.” Ruby took it and brushed a hand over the cover, it wasn’t painted but rather the leather had been embossed. The title read ‘The Brothers Grimm’ by Claude Savagely. She opened it up to find that it was a collection of fairy tales…  _ old _ fairy tales. Many of which she hadn’t seen before. “Ooo.”

James put a kettle on some embers and tended to their dinner as Ruby read. She had a good voice for reading aloud and was rather good at it. When dinner was ready, he took the petal out of his mouth and set it aside rather than swallowing it. His stomach informed him just as loudly as his mouth had that it missed the petals. He gave in after he finished eating what he could manage, put the petal back in his mouth and swallowed it.

Ruby grabbed the book as James took her back to the bed. “I really like these stories, I haven’t seen most of them before.”

“My favourites.”

Ruby pouted at his sentence returning to their small forms. “You… you could take some blood again. I don’t mind and I can just read till I get sleepy.”

“Thank you.”

Ruby endeavored to chat with him as he changed her bandages and drew blood. Mostly because he seemed to like to listen to her. She was careful not to watch as he took another sample of her blood. She felt a little faint after but he patched up the cut. He uttered his thanks again then left her to her book.

Secreted away in his lab he repeated the process from the night before. Separated the blood into several clean vials and got his journal out. He had a potion in mind that he called ‘Swallow’ that could mend internal wounds. It came in a few forms, the first was rather mild and most people could take it. The later forms he had developed for himself, them being highly toxic but he was not all alive anyway.

Rather than using the usual heavy alcohol base as per the norm, he decided to give her blood a try and lowered the amounts of all other ingredients. While the concoction simmered he turned his attention to a table that was more for magic. Little magic, he didn’t do big stuff. He had a ward against Grimm always active, after all he spent all day every day fighting them. So he didn’t want to deal with them at home. It only took a few extra runes to add humans and faunus in. He added a drop of Ruby’s blood to where a very old dried spot of his own was. So the ward wouldn’t distress her.

He returned to his potion and found it ready. While he wanted for it to cool he continued his experiments with lotions. Though interestingly enough he’s arm hadn’t decayed from the moment he clothed it again. He wondered if someday he’d have enough to cover all of his cursed flesh if he kept on wearing the Ladies’ gifts.

The potion though taunted him, he was more than accustomed to the pain of his condition. However he had grown to like how the petals made him feel, now he was back to that old pain. It felt more present for the couple days relieved of it. James looked over his notes and admired his salve smeared forearm. His hourglasses measured the time that the curse was held back. He forced himself to ignore the potion till all other effects ran out. He put his gauntlet and bracer back on. Flipped an hourglass and tossed the single mouthful of potion back.

The relief to his mouth and throat was instant. He reached up and rubbed under his jaw as the potion settled in his stomach, the discomfort from dinner was quick to depart. He sat down heavily on the stool. His leg didn’t change but his chest stopped hurting, he doubted his core was healed but something was better. Now it would measuring how long this nice almost normal feel lasted.

His thoughts turned back to Ruby, he had one vial of her blood left but he wanted to save it till he had more information about how this potion went. He didn’t have anything else to do so… well maybe she’d read aloud to him some more. He grabbed his journal and the hourglass.

Ruby looked up from her book surprised when he walked in. “How’d it go?”

“Good, I am waiting to see how long this potion lasts.” He walked to the opposite side of the bed and put his journal and the hourglass down on it.

“So are you good to talk for a while?”

James smiled as her voice betrayed her joy. “Yes, it seems so. Would you like more tea?”

“Yes please. I chewed that celandine you left me. I’m not ready to sleep more yet.”

“Well Grimm levels have been very low since you arrived. So I think I shall stay in tomorrow, I have some wood I could make you a cane so you can move around without putting weight on your ankle.”

“That would be great. My butt hurts from all the sitting.”

James chuckled and just paused for a moment to enjoy the pain free action. “Ahhh.”

“What?” Ruby asked her tone very light and innocent.

“I can laugh and it doesn't hurt.”

Ruby thought it was really sad that something so simple made him happy. She was careful to not let it show on her face. “I’m glad for you.”

James made her tea but didn’t have any himself as he didn’t want to dilute the potion he had consumed. He retrieved a small jar of honey and added a little to her lemon tea. “I put some celandine in, so you can sleep when you’re ready.”

“Thank you.” Ruby reached up and took it from his gloved hands and had a sip. It was still a bit tart but the honey helped. “Do you mind me asking why you always wear gloves?”

James sighed and sat down. “Part of my curse or rather part of the treatment. The ladies have created clothes for me over the years. While I wear them my body is… held together more effectively.”

Ruby wrinkled her nose at the thought, all the wondering at what he was hiding evaporated. She had another sip then put it on the bedside table. “Well get comfy it’s story time.”

James moved over to the other side of the bed and glanced over at the hourglass. Then Ruby started to read and he closed his eyes, just to enjoy the simple pleasure of listening to a story.


	4. Lossing to Gain

James left Ruby before dawn, with the ward up he was having ideas about how to keep Ruby from being bored. However it required taking her outside. So he mounted up on Falka this time without a saddle and with his sword strapped to his back. He kept an eye on the sky for a large raven but Qrow didn’t seem to be anywhere to be seen. It was a nice day and he was rather looking forward to getting back home to do chores. A sheen of frost covered the ground, making grass crack under Falka’s hooves.

He turned his attention skyward, he liked this time of day. Not quite morning, so the stars were still out, not a cloud in the sky. He was going to have to phrase his request carefully but once the military was gone the Grimm would come back in force and that was his bargaining chip. Falka flicked her mane as the sun rose and eventually they approached the slightly crooked house of the Ladies of the Wood.

The front door creaked open as James dismounted a few steps from the door. “The Ladies saw you coming.”

“Good morning Anna.” James treasured her look of shock. “I would like to speak to the Ladies.”

“As you wish.”

James couldn’t help but notice that the Ladies home never changed. It was the same as it had been when he first met them, the cuttings rather than being woven into their tapestry had become his clothing. James forced his chest to accept a deep breath as Anna summoned the Ladies and touched the tapestry.

“What now?” The three voices hissed.

“As you know there was a crash in the bog a few days ago. I rescued a woman-.”

“Ohh look at that ladies after all this time he’s got himself a lass. Maybe he wants our advice?”

“She is a Silver Eyed Warrior who has been permitting me to experiment with her blood. I have already discovered that it has regenerative properties against my condition. I know you have a desire to have a Silver Eyed Warrior for yourselves. However as an alchemist I would kindly ask that you allow her to stay with me, so I can further experiment with her consent and after her injuries heal she can assist me with the Grimm.” James cleared his throat but was very glad he had decided to save his second potion for the morning.

“Well look at him go.” The Brewess said.

“That is the most we’ve ever heard him speak.” The Whisperess uttered.

James fought a smile down, if they were bothering to speak separately that met he at least had their attention.

“You have her consent, you say.” The Brewess’s voice twisted Anna’s.

“Yes.”

“There is power in consent, as much as I’d love her in our pot… Consent would make for sweeter blood.”

James grimanced, he would not be sharing her blood with them. “She is a very small woman, I do not dare take much at a time.”

“Ohh, now he’s getting greedy.” The Weaveress cackled.

“I have served you beyond the demands of our deal for two centuries now. Asking for one girl’s life to be spared is not much. You do not need her.”

“Ha with his tongue intact he grows insolent.” The Weaveress snarled.

It was the Brewess that cut in on her. “He speaks fairly sister. While it is by our will that he is alive, he has served us faithfully. Keep the girl James, it’s high time such a handsome gentleman as yourself had some company. Perhaps she can be of use to us in the future.”

James bowed deeply from his waist. “Thank you my Ladies.”

Anna removed her hand from the tapestry. “You must be eager to get back, but can I tempt you to stay? I was just going to make some pies and I know you don’t have an oven. Perhaps your lady friend would like some pastries.”

“I can stay a little while, she’s not an early riser.” James followed the old woman into the kitchen.

The floor was flagstones and it was a busy place. James’ guts turned at the thought of why but he had long since come to accept that sometimes there was nothing he could do. He sat down on a stool in one corner and breathed deeply of the scent of nutmeg on the air.

Anna racked out her oven and side three pasties into it as well as several tarts. Before shutting the heavy iron door tight. She washed her hands then stoked a fire that already had several pots bubbling away around it. “So how long can I expect full sentences out of you?”

“Another hour and a half.”

She put a hand on her hip and looked him up and down. “You know it won’t last.”

James’ gaze flicked away from her. “I do, but she’s hurt right now. When she’s healed I’ll take her back to her people.”

“A man came yesterday, could smell the magic on him a mile away. He was asking after a silver eyed girl. Is that why you picked today to come visit?”

“Not intentionally. I mostly pointed this place out because two more of their number were missing at the time.”

“You could have taken that girl of yours back to her friends already.”

“And have the Ladies see her in a puddle and skin me alive for not bringing her to them?” James shook his head. “I know it was selfish, I know wanting to keep her is selfish I just…”

“Are lonely. Not to mention given how chatty you are being clearly her blood does good things for you.” Anna plucked a bowl of raspberries off a table and put them in one of the pots. “Will it be worth it when she hates you? When she learns what you’ve done?”

“I don’t know.”

“Just warning you to think in the long term James. Friendships are fickle things, you and I both know you want a friend more than you want her blood.”

“Maybe once I know she won’t… vanish. I’ll take her back.”

“Better make it sooner rather than later, or all you’ll get is a slap.”

James’s shoulders sagged. She was right, he had known that from the moment he learned other people were looking for her. “I’ll take her back today if you think that would be best.”

“It would. You’ve already kept her from her friends, the longer you wait the worst it will be.”

The loneliness pushed in on him, she wasn’t even gone yet. Maybe it would be for the best, have her take her soothing blood away before he got too used too. Too attached to not being in pain.

“Go chop wood for me, it’s better than having to watch you mope.”

* * *

Ruby snuggled down into the bedding, it was a bit colder without James but she was sure he’d be back soon. It was too early to read the equally lovely and terrifying fairy tale book. Her head and ankle hurt but she didn’t have any more flowers to chew on so staying still and warm was appealing.

Shortly after dawn James returned. She sat up slowly and breathed deeply. “Ooo what’s that?”

“Apple pie and a couple strawberry tarts.” James set the sack Anna had given him down on the table and revealed the sweet treats.

Ruby’s eyes zeroed in on the strawberry tarts. “Can I have a tart?”

James chuckled and fetched a plate for her before walking over and sitting down beside her as she sat up the rest of the way. The loneliness crushed him as he watched her happily take big bites out of the tart. The words stuck in his throat but he knew if he put it off he’d lose the will to do it. “I have not been honest with you.”

Ruby didn’t like the sound of that one bit. She looked up from her treat suddenly feeling ill. “What?”

“I met your friends,” he raised a hand as she opened her mouth to speak. “Yes they are all found and fine. I lied to them that I hadn’t seen you. I apologize I just…” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “There is no good excuse for what I did. Once you are ready I will take you to them.”

_You were just lonely._ Ruby had already noticed it, it had only been a couple days and while she was furious. She could understand it. “You’re lonely, what you did was wrong but I understand why. Eat something then take me to my friends.”

James nodded and got up. They didn’t speak as he helped her through her morning routine. When she was busy he went out and saddled Falka up. Ruby let him carry her outside and her eyes widened at her first sight of the beautiful black Kelpie.

“Don’t get any ideas.” James said to Falka as he put Ruby up in the saddle. “Don’t touch her mane or skin.”

“Okay.” Ruby grabbed the saddle horn. Being vertical like this made her ankle throb but it was a small price to pay for going back to her friends. She blushed when James mounted up behind her. Her short skirt had ridden up leaving her butt pressed against his trousers.

Falka set off without a word from James and as they traveled Ruby wondered what to do. She was cross with him, but it wasn’t like he had kept her in the dark for a whole month. He had been kind to her and had been taking good care of her. Not to mention he never had to rescue her in the first place. However if he hadn’t then would her friends have found her before now? Or would a Grimm have and then she would be dead. She had the Relic on her, so a Grimm would have found her quickly. So really he had saved her and after seeing how he lived she really couldn’t blame him for wanting some company. Then came the question of what to tell her friends.

As they traveled Ruby worked on what to say to her friends. When they arrived at Crow’s Perch it was less busy than before with the sun out in force. The yard was largely empty.

James dismounted by the main door and pulled Ruby down but set her against his left side. Getting her into her boots had been an ordeal and he wasn’t going to force her to put any weight on her ankle.

Ruby appreciated the gesture, that he wasn’t going to stop being kind just because she was leaving him. He carried her inside and when he found the baron’s study empty, he tried the dining room. Sure enough it was full.

“RUBY!” Yang and Qrow were out of their chairs so fast they spun.

Yang reached out to give her little sister a hug and to kiss her forehead. “I was so worried!”

Qrow hovered wanting in on the reunion but James single armed bridal carry didn’t give much room. “You said you hadn’t seen her.”

“I-.”

“He found me last night, then cleaned me up and fed me.” Ruby cut in before he told them the truth.

“She has a very impressive lump on the back of her head and a sprained ankle.” James didn’t understand why she lied but was grateful for it.

Yang got out of the way at her uncles’ prodding and Qrow took Ruby from the taller man. Ruby let out a happy hum and snuggled into his chest. “Hey uncle.”

“Hey kiddo.”

“Did you miss me?”

Qrow smiled fondly and nuzzled her head. “Nope.”

James assumed he was missing a great deal of context here. “I will be on my way then. Good luck Ruby.”

“Hey wait.” Ruby reached out and grabbed him by the edge of his cloak.

James paused mid step and turned back to her.

“Yang or someone, can we give him a Scroll? He doesn’t have one and he told such cool stories on the way over. I'd like to keep in contact with him.”

Yang pulled out her Scroll. “He can have mine, it was getting old anyway and I planned on getting a new one at Atlas. Just give me a minute or five to clear all my personal stuff off it.”

Nora bounced over to Ruby. “You look like your head hurts.  
“It does.”

Ozpin stood up and walked over. He placed a hand on Ruby’s head and they watched as emerald green Aura washed over her. She sighed with relief. “Thanks sir.”

Qrow let her down but she was uninclined to move away from her cuddled position. He was warm after all and she had missed him.

“You’re welcome.” Ozpin dipped his head to her. “I am glad you are alright.”

“Well I think we have learned our lesson when it comes to borrowing transport.” She glanced around. “Where are Jaune and Blake.”

James blinked, oops he had forgotten about those too.

“They… didn’t make it.” Qrow almost said that they went splat but controlled himself for her. “You didn’t mention that?” He addressed James.

“They slipped my mind, I apologize Ruby.”

Ruby believed him, after all she had given him a lot of names. “It’s okay.”

Qrow pulled Ruby over to a seat at the table. “Think you could eat something?”

She shook her head. “No thank you. James gave me strawberry tarts this morning.”

James tried to inch his way to the door as Ruby’s other friends talked to her. However Ozpin pulled him out into the hall and closed the door behind them. “You lied, she lied.” His golden copper eyes glared at James.

“Yes. I don’t know why she lied.” James didn’t meet them, he felt horrible. He was also sure the potion was wearing off.

“Why did you?”

“I was lonely and didn’t want to return her. I hope… that she will forgive me in time and that we can be friends.”

“Why did you now?”

“Three days isn’t so long, better to ask for forgiveness than permission in this case. Given that I had already done the stupid thing.”

Ozpin almost smiled, after all he was intimately familiar with that approach. “I understand that. You did the right thing.”

“I…” James grimanced and rubbed his throat.

Oz’s eyes flicked around him. “Why are you in this bog James?”

“My curse makes me rot, the Ladies of the Wood hold it back. If I leave I die.”

“Do you know who cursed you? And the words?”

“Arthur Watts and they are ‘You are a heartless emotionless zombie, so be one.’” James started to move his lips less as he spoke. “I am terrified of losing my mind, even as this state of existence is…”

“Painful.” Ozpin could see the blood start to seep from the corner of James’ mouth. “When we get to Atlas I will try and look into this. No one deserves to live alone forever.” He steepled his fingers. “Besides, I remember you when you were a general of Mantle. Having you in my corner going forward would bring me joy.”

James tried to smile but covered his mouth instead.

“Hey James where are you- oh.” Ruby looked up to him, she knew exactly what was going on. It seemed her conversations with him were going to be cut short. She slumped, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. Then she saw the pouch he kept empty for herbs he stumbled across in his travels. She stepped up and put her hands into it.

Her Aura surged to life thanks to Oz’s gift of energy and she filled it with rose petals. “There, that should hold you over for a little while.” She backed off and Oz put a hand on her shoulder with a little squeeze. She looked up to him and smiled at his little nod.

James backed off and found a window to spit out of before placing a petal on his tongue. Their gentle flavour was a welcome change from the blood. He turned to find them waiting for him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Ruby said. “I was just going to make sure you weren’t sneaking off.”

“I wanted to talk to him.” Ozpin said. “About his curse, I will be looking into it when we reach Atlas.”

“Oh can I help?!” Ruby bounced. “It’s really awful and he’s stuck in this swamp!”

Ozpin chuckled, he never failed to find her enthusiasm both refreshing and adorable. “Of course, I should teach someone how to research such things. Now head back in before your friends come out and terrify our quiet friend.”

“Yes sir!” She bounced again then paused to look at James. “Don’t sneak off!” She pointed at him with a finger.

“I’ll be here.”

The two men watched her vanish back inside as Ozpin chuckled and shook his head. “I’ve never met a woman with so much enthusiasm for life and yet able to be the most mature person in the room.”

“How do you mean?”

“She is the leader of her team, when I met her she babbled just in sheer excitement from meeting me. It was adorable, but I felt she needed to learn to control herself too. Thus I made her a team leader. After Beacon fell, she has become a … unofficial apprentice to me. Silver Eyes are so rare and she is a magnet for trouble. So I do enjoy keeping her close, making sure she lives long enough to learn to use her power.” Ozpin pushed his glasses up his nose. “Needless to say she has been coming along nicely.”

“She is very kind and understanding.”

“Don’t worry, she won’t hold this against you. She just has duties in Atlas, we all do as Hunters.”

“I had a feeling that she could not be happy staying with me.”

“Very likely. She will mourn her friends but then will reach out.”

“All done!” Yang shouted from within the room.

Ruby zipped up in a burst of rose petals right up to James and offered him a Scroll and charging plate. “Just stick it in the sun to charge.”

James took both small rectangular objects and put them in a breast pocket. “Thank you.”

Ruby shook her head. “No, thank you for looking after me James. If you hadn’t picked me up a Grimm might have found me before my friends did. Then I wouldn’t be around at all.”

He dipped his head. “I should go, I am sure your friends miss you. Thank you for the conversation and your help Ozpin.”

“May fortune smile upon you James.” Ozpin said.

* * *

The next few weeks were agony, both physically and mentally for James. Ruby’s first message had just been.

:Got to Atlas safe!:

Then there had been nothing for several days. James went back to his routine, killing Grimm with his sword, collecting his tax from the villages. He didn’t go to his alchemy workshop, there was nothing for him to do with it. Then came.

:Crescent Rose is gone! My scythe! If you see it please let me know!:

:I have not seen it. It could have fallen into a puddle.:

:That’s so sad.:

:I am sorry for your loss.:

:Do you like texting?:

:It is easier than speaking.: 

:I’m glad. Hey I never got to ask you about your swords, why do you have two?:

:One is for Grimm, it has a meteorite core. While the other is plain steel.:

:So one for monsters and one for people?:

:Yes.:

:I can’t imagine having a weapon set aside just for people.:

:It is so I do not dull my Grimm blade on amour. People can be just as much of monsters as Grimm.:

There had been a pause in messages here, so James made himself dinner.

:Uncle Qrow says that I should make a weapon for people. His scythe has a claymore function because and I quote ‘Scythes are jack shit against anything not Grimm and James is right people can be total shit.’:

:I think I could be friends with this Qrow.:

:Maybe, I do think you two could have brood off wars.:

:I do not brood that much.:

:You brood a lot James. The only people I know who can brood more are Uncle Qrow when he’s not drinking and Ozpin when he’s got a problem to solve.:

:Well I find I can’t defend myself when I do not know them.:

:What do you think I should do about a new weapon?:

:Your uncle could likely give you better advice but if you are just asking my opinion. I would learn to use a sword or daggers. Swords give you reach and you are very small but a dagger when dragged through Aura can puncture it far more quickly than a sword. Your short stature could come in handy with daggers but seeing as you’ve used a scythe up till now it’s probably a large departure from the style you know.:

:I think I’ll go sword then. Ozpin and Qrow can teach me, I can always make a dagger and strap it to my boot. I am sure I could talk Ren into teaching me.:

:A sound plan, I wish you luck with it.:

The messages stopped for several days after that. James thought that she was likely fine, just busy. Sure enough the messages started again.

:My gosh learning new weapons is so much work! Plus classes in Atlas are nuts, I mean they are fun too because it’s challenging. A bunch of my team are getting private lessons from the Ace Ops. Ozpin isn’t letting me though, even though the leader of the Ace Ops Clover wants to take me on.:

:He did mention to me that he greatly values you as his own apprentice.:

:Okay now I am not mad at him anymore. I’ll have to give him a hug for that.:

:I am sure he will appreciate it.:

:Between you and me he’s a great cuddlier. Missions out in the tundra are awful but getting to cuddle him overnight sure makes it worth it.:

:Your secret is safe with me: James was a bit sad he hadn’t been able to cuddle her.

:Thanks. How are things there?:

:Much the same as they were before you came.:

:Must be boring.:

:Very.:

:How are you doing for petals?:

:Good. I have been saving them just for meal times:

:Sorry I can’t come visit. School, training and the little field missions leave me run off my feet.:

:You have a life, I already took more of your time then I had any right too:

:Don’t say mean stuff like that about yourself. As I said last time. You brood to much.:

:I think at this point it is a habit.:

:I’ll break you from it someday.:

:I look forward to that:

:Shit, gotta go.:

James hoped that she had just forgotten some classwork. However it was a full week before she messaged him again.

:Sorry about vanishing on you. I just.:

:Ruby?:

:A guy I met in Anima followed us here. Or maybe he was here first I don’t know. He creeps me the heck out.:

:Followed you?:

:Yeah, when we were hunting in Anima I ran into him. He said crazy things about me being something his ‘queen’ wanted. He tried to kidnap me twice, he kicked my butt both times but Ozpin and Qrow saved me. It’s part of why I’m okay with learning to use a sword, my scythe was useless against him.:

:... When I was more alive we had someone like that in Mantle. We called him Jack and he targeted prostitutes, killed them in horrible ways. Please take care Ruby.:

:I will. I can tell that Qrow is afraid for me and he’s never afraid of anything. So that tells me that this is serious.:

:I am glad he looks out for you.:

:Well I’m not allowed down to Mantle anymore. It sucks but I get it. My friends get to go for the weekends and I’m just stuck up in Atlas.:

:There must be things to do that interest you there.:

:Yeah, oh! That Clover I mentioned asked me out on a date this morning. I totally froze up but he just laughed and said that I could get back to him at my own pace.:

:Well is he any good?: James found himself pursing his lips for no good reason.

:I think so, he’s the leader of the Ace Ops so while I don’t know him very well you’d have to be at least a decent person to get that high up.:

:Be careful about assumptions like that narcissists can be extremely good at faking it.:

:Huh, come to think of it with a Semblance like his it wouldn’t surprise me if he was a narcissist. He hangs out and does missions with Qrow because Qrow’s Semblance is the opposite. Gods that must be an ego boost to Clover.:

:What are their Semblances?:

:Qrow’s is Bad Luck and Clover’s is Good Luck. Honestly I think luck is relative. I have been trying to convince Qrow of that for years but it’s still a work in progress.:

:Luck is relative, even bad luck at the right moment can be good.:

:Like what? If you have any ideas I totally need more ammo to use on Qrow.:

:Well back when we used arrows. There was this one time where I was riding out of a village under fire. Arrows whizzing by my ears. One of them cut the girdle on my horse, I slid sideways and ended up clinging for dear life to its side. Seconds after an arrow flew right over my steeds neck and would have ended up between my shoulder blades if I hadn’t fallen moments before. Bad luck, that turned out to be good luck.:

:Huh neat story! Qrow’s luck affects those around him too as does Clovers. Man if they could figure out how to make it so Clover’s good luck only affects his friends while Qrow’s only bothers his enemies we’d be unstoppable!:

:Relying on luck is unwise.:

:Yup, I swear I want to see Clover fight with no Aura. I bet in straight up skill uncle Qrow would kick his ass. My uncle is awesome.:

James chuckled and grimaced. :I think I would enjoy seeing that as well.:

:I’ve got to go to bed. I’ll try to message more often. Goodnight.:

:Goodnight:

James put his Scroll down and tried to sleep. The thought of her having a stalker was terrifying. _But she is surrounded by powerful people_.

James ended up repeating that to himself for two weeks. Not a word from her, by the end of the second week he was making himself sick with worry and couldn’t work. He messaged Qrow as Yang had left his contact on the Scroll. :Has something happened to Ruby? She hasn’t messaged me in two weeks and I am worried.:

He paced back and forth till the Scroll beeped an hour later.

:She’s missing! I can’t talk now, we are all busy. I’ll let you know when we find her.:

James’ heart plummeted into his stomach, her words about her stalker returned to his mind with a vengeance. He could just see her in the streets, her body sliced up. He stormed out of his house and mounted Falka. The kelpie was startled but went with it as he turned them westward and squeezed her to request a gallop.

Falka indulged him and they raced through the bog. James' mind raced as he rode, what if she had already been missing for a full two weeks? How had her friends not found her yet? What if she was already dead? He had to do something! Falka slowed as they came to the edge of the Ladies of the Woods territory. James stared at the shift to graze-lands. If he left the bog he’d die, but could he do nothing? Just go back and be driven mad with the wait? What if his curse didn’t steal his mind? He could deal with falling apart if it meant he’d keep just enough of his mind or just kept together long enough to find her. How would he even find her?

James dismounted, he couldn’t do nothing. A demented man could have his hands on her, she could be in trouble or dying. Even if he didn’t know the city anymore, he was still another pair of legs and eyes. He could look, he could help Gods damn it all. She was such a good soul, she forgave him for holding her back from her friends so quickly. He couldn’t abandon her, even if he just kept aware long enough to find her. Then maybe Ozpin or Qrow could put him out of his misery. James couldn’t help but think that wouldn’t be so bad. Save her, then die. What had he been doing for the last two centuries? Living without a reason? Just for it’s own sake. Friendless and lonely in a world that had moved on. She was something to die for, he’d rather go out with a bang then a whimper.

James Ironwood took a deep breath and steeled himself. Hopefully this wouldn’t be for nothing, if he could just keep going long enough to be helpful. Anything would be better than becoming friendless again. He took a step into the graze-lands. Those blue eyes rolled into the back of his head as he died and fell face first into the green grass. Falka lowered her head and lipped as his black hair, with a long sigh she sat down beside him.


	5. A whole new world

Warm large lips pushed on his cheek. A hot wet tongue slobbered it… sharp teeth slid carefully across it.

“Arg stop it!”

James opened his eyes to see sun low in the sky and Falka nibbling his hair. “Would you stop that!” He pushed her head away then stared at his right hand. He curled his fist and released it… it  _ didn’t _ hurt. He sat up slowly, his clothing making his skin crawl. He tugged his bracer off and then the glove. His hand was perfect. “What the…” James stripped out of his top layers and stood with a wobble. 

His torso was flawless, it was strange to run his hands over it. The cold northern wind blew and he shivered as it sent long forgotten sensations over his skin.

Falka stood up and flicked her head westward. Then bared her teeth at him.

“Give me a moment.” James reached up and ran his hands through his hair, then twisted around to look at his back. Hot damn he knew he had been fine before he was cursed but it was nice to see that he hadn’t lost it.

Falka bared her serrated teeth at him and snapped them a few times.

“I don’t-.” James frowned and reached up to his mouth as he pressed his tongue to his teeth. “What in the…” He stumbled back into the bog and found a puddle after a few steps. He collapsed to his knees and sneered pulling his lips back.

What he saw just did not compute. He tentatively touched a tooth with his tongue, he had sharp serrated teeth. Just like Falka, had that been what she had been trying to say? He didn’t look to have any more then usual, just that his old teeth had changed shape. “What the fuck?” He turned his head one way and then to the other but sure enough his skin was a whole as it felt.

He felt like a right fool, he had been cursed to be a zombie. Only zombies came in as many forms as there were stories throughout history. Nevermind vampires which were even more numerous and had more than a little overlay. Whatever had granted Arthurs curse, had taken some creative liberties with how to execute it. “I am such an idiot.”

Falka walked up behind him and bobbed her head.

“Well aren’t you nice.” James couldn’t up but reach up and rub her chin. Still this was only a part of the curse, but he didn’t feel emotionless. Confusion and annoyance at himself was most prevalent right now. Had that part of the curse been ignored? Or had how it been phrased had addressed his character while alive, so the only thing he had really been cursed to be was a zombie? James didn’t know but his mind and emotions felt completely intact, sharper even now. Clearly however Arthur had gotten his power, whatever it was. Well it was no friend of Arthurs.

Falka bumped him in the shoulder.

“Yes yes I am getting up it’s a lot to take in.” James stood up with ease he had forgotten existed and they walked back over the border. He left his shirt given that he no longer needed its magic to hold him together. Instead strapping his leather bracers and pauldrons on then the long coat. All were leather, so while not comfortable on his skin they were very well broken on. His trousers on the other hand were getting replaced on the asap. Seeing as there was no pain to muddle the feeling and a great deal more surface area to itch.

He checked his pockets through and found his coin purse, thankfully heavy. Then he mounted up Falka and they set off for Mantle at her top speed… at least on land.

James relished the wind on his face, he found himself smiling as he held tight to his steed. It washed over his exposed skin, it was so liberating not to be covered from head to toe. A laugh bubbled up from his chest and he let it be free. If only he had the courage or the need to leave the bog before. Ruby was in need of help, and now he had the body to be useful!

Falka laughed softly under him, this sure made the wait worth it. Things would only get more interesting from here on out. She carried her charge through the day and well into the night before the dense filthily city of Mantle came into view. She slowed down as they came up to the wall and started to walk down towards the docks.

James was pleasantly surprised to find he wasn’t the only one on horseback as they rode up through the mud, crap and other things that James couldn’t identify. He was honestly fine with that. He didn’t know where Falka was taking him, honestly he had no idea where to start. Ruby hadn’t even given him a description of what her stalker looked like.

A billboard suddenly reran it’s message.

“Tyrian Callows has been seen in the city. He is a class A huntsman and has murdered fifteen people. Any sightings are to be reported to the MPD helpline instantly.”

James did not like the crazed look in those purple eyes, but that was probably who he was looking for at least. However he had no idea where to start and a hunger that was… new was starting to gnaw in the pit of his stomach. Given how horrible the streets smelled he was a little amazed he could feel hungry. Thankfully a fish market was raised up on a little hill away from the main street muck.

“Some things never change.” James mumbled but what had changed was that he could smell the raw meat on the back of his throat and it was making him drool. He dismounted and put a hand on Falka’s shoulder as they followed their noses to some raw bison. Without really thinking about it he bought two fist sized slabs and sought out a side alley. He offered Falka her portion and held to make sure it didn’t fall on the filthy ground as she happily chomped down. The second piece felt heavy in his pocket, he hadn’t thought about it too hard at the time. It was raw meat that smelled heavenly.

When Falka was finished he pulled it out and unwrapped it, that hunger was getting worse and the oozing blood smelled so strongly in his nose. He didn’t know what kind of zombie he was but clearly something inside of him had changed beyond his teeth. Falka bumped his hands pushing the meat towards his mouth.

James glanced up and down the alley but no one was looking his way. He brought the bleeding flesh to his mouth and sank his serrated teeth in. Rich, rustic flavours burst over his tongue, he moaned his eyes sliding shut as he chewed. It was so good, better than anything he had eaten in two centuries. There was no pain as he chewed, he could just enjoy the flesh and sinew. The marbling of fat was almost sweet on his tongue.

He tore off another chunk and then another till it was gone and he was licking the blood from his fingers. Falka helped him out with that, her longer tongue was much better for cleaning up. That new hunger was calmed but not gone. Falka nudged his flower pouch. “But I don’t need them anymore.”

She stamped a hoof and glared at him.

James huffed. “Sometimes I swear you’re my mother.” He reached into the pouch and pulled out of the priceless rose petals and put it on his tongue.

Blue eyes turned almost completely black, he had thought the meat had tasted good. It had  _ nothing _ on the rose petal. There weren’t words in any language to describe it, maybe someday he’d manage to describe it but today was not that day. He slumped against the grungy wall and let the petal melt on his tongue. Doing so made him feel, happy and nervous but grateful.

Falka nibbled on his fingers till he came down from his high.

“Wow. Okay now I get it.” James reached for another petal.

Falka bit his hand stopping him, her careful hold didn’t break his skin.

“Bossy. But you’re right I’m not hungry anymore.” James glanced out into the street. “I guess clothes are the first order of business. Then start pounding the pavement and see how much my city has changed.”

As it turned out, not as much as he would have thought. The streets were an absolute mess, no grind, some with sewers others without. James couldn’t help but muse that it seemed like entire quadrants of the city needed to be burned to the ground and redone. Finding clothes had been easy enough, he enjoyed the new style of black trousers as this new fangled thing called a ‘dress shirt’. He was already falling in love with the fashion of the new era.

However by then shops were closing down and James noticed that Falka was starting to pick her steps. So he dismounted and they headed to a gate. Out of the way he rubbed her nose and said. “You should head back, your hooves aren’t cut out for this.”

The kelpie shoved her nose into his belly and huffed a long mournful sigh. Closing her eyes to enjoy James petting her cheek, with another huff she pulled away and headed off at a slow walk. The tall man sighed watching her go and then rubbed his arms. It was pretty nippy out but he wasn’t tired yet. However a trip to an inn would be required just to have a moment to sit down with his Scroll, download maps of the city and learn to use more things on his Scroll.

* * *

James ended up spending a lot of time glaring at his Scroll. He had fiddled with it out of boredom before but connecting to the internet was new. As was learning how to search for things, he even managed to find maps. Some he recognized and some he definitely did not. It did become almost fun seeing where his city and this new one overlapped. It also gave him ideas of where a serial killer could hide, there were many old buildings or ones that had sunk into the earth. Then there was the mines, getting lost in there would be easy. Though he doubted Tyrian would have taken Ruby into them, if he was hurting her. James clenched a fist. The sound would carry, no someone who killed for fun would know better. It would be a small place, maybe right under all of their noses.

James scrolled through the house listings, singling out those that had been recently bought and setting them aside in a folder. Assuming that scum never changed, it was safe to guess that he would have a stationary base but one with escape routes. He rubbed his temple with a couple fingers, he was not used to focusing on such a small thing before.

He jumped as a tankard of beer, as his nose identified it was set beside him on the table. Qrow flopped down into a seat beside him. “So what happened to being stuck in that swamp?”

James blinked a few times still startled by the sudden appearance of the shapeshifter. Rather than directly answer he bared his new teeth at him.

Qrow cocked a brow at him. “Huh, neat.”

James put his Scroll down and had a sip of the beer and grimanced. “I don’t remember beer tasting that bad.”

“I’ll drink it if you don’t want it.”

James pushed it over with a finger. “How did you know I was here?”

“I’ve been down here since Ruby went missing, you’re hard to miss.”

“When did she go missing?”

“Eight days now.”

James' stomach turned in on itself. Eight days, a lot could happen in eight days. “And we are sure she’s still in the city?”

“Winter came down hard on travel as soon as Ruby vanished, the whole of Mantle is locked down tighter than a Schnee vault. Everything from sewers to trade vessels. To be frank no traveler can sneeze without Winter knowing about it.”

James turned his attention back to his Scroll. “So she has to be here.”

“What are you looking at?”

“Recently sold house listings.”

“Already checked them.”

Well there went his first idea, he sighed and leaned back in the rickety chair as he looked over to Qrow. The red eyed man did look tired, dark circles under his eyes and a bit flighty. “So what else have you done?”

“Sewer crawled and warehouse, dug through the bits of the city that have been compacted down and through any number of smaller hiding places.” Qrow rubbed his eyes. “I’m running out of ideas. There is no way he could have gotten her out of the city.”

“What’s his MO?”

“Kill and walk away, he leaves his messes as the scene of the crime. Kidnapping like this is new. Here.” Qrow pulled out his Scroll and set Tyrian Callow’s file to James’ with a flick of his finger.

They sat in silence as James read, he was getting used to the new spellings for words quickly. “Paranoia, he’s probably stationary then. He knows he’s a wanted man so he’d be going out as little as possible. Wherever he is, it has got to be close to a place he can get food. With the least amount of exposure as possible.”

“Yeah I thought of that too, I’ve already been through all of the low town districts centered around a market without cameras.”

“Does he know anything about you? How you think?”

Qrow glared down into his mostly gone beer. “It’s possible, I’m a pretty big name among the Hunters.”

“So he’d know how you’d look for him.”

“Probably.”

James rubbed his nose, all he could smell was beer and it was making his stomach churn. That thought lead to how he had found his dinner by following his nose. “Huh, do we have anything of Ruby or Tyrians?”

“I’ve got Ruby’s cloak on me why?”

The cursed man tapped a finger on his nose. “Since I let this curse take over my sense of smell has been… greatly improved. I picked out meat from a ten minute ride away in spite of how this city smells.”

Qrow whistled at that. “Now that is useful. Think you could pull a bloodhound for us and sniff about for Ruby?”

“I think it is worth a try.”

Qrow finished his beer in a single swing then James’ before reaching behind him and pulling a moderate pouch off his belt. “She never goes anywhere without it.” He hiccuped slightly.

James could see Qrow’s eyes water but the red eyed man blinked them till the second of weakness was gone. He took the pouch and opened it up and sure enough Ruby’s red cloak as neatly folded up within it. He took a handful of it being careful not to ruffle it and pressed it against his nose. James inhaled deeply.

Her scent heady to him, intrinsically feminine, musky and sweet as a bloomed woman should be. He could feel the drool gather in his mouth, as it scent his blood racing. James pulled the cloth away before he got lost in the scent. “Alright got it.” He folded the cloth up and put it back in the pouch. “Tyrian would be better but we shall just have to make do. Are you coming with or are you going to get some rest? You look exhausted.”

Qrow got up with him. “Tyrian is a good fighter, you’ll need backup if you find him.”

“Alright.”

They started with doing loops around the low tech markets. James had a tough time picking out individual scents with so many jumbled together and so much foot traffic. Qrow followed him around lurking and studying him. The hours worn on as they moved through back alleys, figuring that Tyrain would have brought Ruby through them.

Eventually they moved up through the city towards nicer districts with better drainage thus less mixed up scents. Qrow didn’t think Tyrian would be in the regular housing districts but James had a feeling that was what the faunus would have wanted Qrow to think. For all they knew he could be renting a basement somewhere. Ordering food in.

James was also just happy to not be smelling mud and byproducts of life. 

“This is a waste of time we should go back.” Qrow said as he yawned.

“Well you already looked everywhere I would have, so let's assume he’s renting up here.” James said as they turned down another small back alley connecting a long line of housing. He breathed deeply again and then stopped with a lurch.

“What?” Qrow almost walked into him.

James sniffed the air again and dipped down to study a fence that they were walking beside. He sniffled along it and on the end of one point of wood he found a tiny smear of blood. He pointed at it. “That’s Rubys’.”

Qrow already had his Scroll out and was calling Winter.

James studied the blood, it was old by his guess the same amount of time Ruby had been missing. He looked up to the house but all the windows were dark. James opened the gate, walked up and tried the back door. It was locked. He pursed his lip and pressed his ear to the keyhole. Nothing. The tall man stood back up, grabbed the doorknob and twisted till it broke with a quiet snap. He shouldered the door open and then it hit him.

The sickly sweet scent of carrion. He gagged and covered his mouth but opened the door the rest of the way. He could see in the dark house with ease. The remains of a family of four rotting on the ground, the walls splattered with blood. He stepped in and found a light, he flicked it on but that just made everything worse. “Qrow.” He called out.

Qrow walked up behind him and coughed hiding his face in an elbow before backing up again and speaking into his Scroll. “We found four more Winter.”

In one corner of the room was a chest, a large heavy thing but what caught James’ attention was the wooden chair facing it, bottles of water and used dishes laying around it. His heart started to pound as he crossed the room ignoring the scents and bodies. He drove his fingers into the lid of the chest and ripped it clean off its hinges tossing it aside.

There she was, curled into a tiny ball. She was wearing Atlas academy pajamas with an ugly purple bruise over one cheek. James wasted no time scooping her up out of the chest and holding her tight to his chest. He could smell more blood on her but it was hard to make out with the overwhelming stench of the room.

Qrow had already returned to the room and raced to James when the large man turned around. “Kid!” He reached out and brushed her hair back gently with a finger to find another cut on her temple. His fingers quickly roamed over her checking for injuries. He pulled up her shirt a little to find several dark purple bruises over her stomach and some cuts that looked to be from scales. “Winter has sent a medical team, lets get her out of here.”

James only nodded, rage bubbling under his skin at her injuries. He should have come sooner, he should have done something sooner! At least the air was clearer outside. Qrow closed the door behind them. If only so they could breathe a little easier.

“I can take her.” Qrow offered his arms.

James held her tighter to his chest in response. “I’d rather.”

Qrow scowled. “She’s my niece.”

“And you are the one who knows people to call and will have people call him.”

Qrow growled but conceded defeat, they could hear a siren in the distance. “So what are you going to do now?”

“I have no idea. I did not expect my curse to manifest like this so I honestly hadn’t thought beyond finding her. I figured by then I’d be too far gone to save and hoped that you or Ozpin would put me out of my misery. Though that is clearly not necessary now.”

The red eyed man couldn’t help but reach out and pet Ruby’s head. He wanted to hold her but James was right, he needed to be ready to answer his Scroll. “Why did you come?”

“She is my only friend.”

Qrow hummed as the ambulance came screeching around the corner and to a stop before the tiny garden. James handed her over to the paramedics and Qrow climbed in with them as they moved to leave James asked. “What should I do?”

“Hell if I know.”

Within seconds the ambulance was racing off with Ruby and James was felt in the street. Though within a minute the police arrived and he spent the next ten minutes explaining to the police how they had found the spot. What had been touched and so on. One of them wrapped James up in a big orange blanket. For the ‘shock’ whatever that was. He ended up sitting on the foot well of another large truck as officers, two coroners and a large number of other people he had no idea why they were here deviled head first into the crime scene. It was getting close to dawn when his salvation arrived.

Ozpin looked just as tired as Qrow had, but he summoned up a smile for James. “Thank you.”

James smiled weakly back. “You’re welcome... I’m really tired.”

“Let’s get you up to Atlas.”

James tried to give his blanket back but the medic insisted he keep it. He followed Ozpin out into the chilly dawn air. He yawned as they headed into a Manta but it was the sight that greeted him when they flew above the cloud line that stole his breath.

Atlas was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. James leaned forward in the copilots chair as the city was washed in golden light. “Wow.”

Ozpin chuckled as he slowly flew the Manta up towards the academy. “There never is quite like seeing it that first time.” He banked the Manta around slowly giving James the scenic route.

“Would you please teach me to fly? This is amazing.” James stood up so he could see more.

“Sure, I am not overly busy and you need to be brought up to the modern age.” Ozpin guided the Manta down to Atlas’ private bay. “I have a guest room in my flat, you are welcome to it.”

“Sure, I feel like I could sleep where I stand.” James followed Ozpin out of the ship, leaving the blanket on a chair.

James' head was on a swivel as they walked through Atlas academy. Mantle had been familiar but this was all new. Such clean stones and walkways, blues and whites, huge towering ceilings. He felt a little bit bad about the mud tracks that someone would have to clean that he was leaving. Ozpin didn’t seem to care and at this hour most students were still in bed.

An elevator was a truly novel thing to James but the real wonders didn’t start till they arrived in Ozpin’s flat. He quietly copied Oz taking his boots, cloak and long coat off. The living room was weird, there was no hearth or prep table, instead a new thing that looked like it was for sitting on. “What is that?” He pointed at it.

“A couch.”

“And that?”

“A television.”

“Those?”

“Speakers.” Ozpin was growing very amused.

James picked his way over to a shelf and pulled out a thin rectangular object. “And this?”

“A movie.”

James put it back. “What else is there?”

Ozpin chuckled and flicked his fingers, they headed into the kitchen. “Go on.”

This was a bit more familiar to him, though having a table like thing under the cupboards was here and more cupboards underneath was new. He poked the thing. “And this?”

“A wood sealed contour top.” Ozpin sat on a stool resting his elbows on the island, his fingers templed to partly hide his smile.

James looked at the stove with a frown, all the knobs and dials. “What’s this?”

“A stove, I can show you how it works after we rest.”

“It’s for cooking?”

“Yes, think of it as a fire where you can control the heat perfectly.”

James whistled impressed but worked his way down. The thing with doors was strange, he opened one and lights within flicked on revealing a bunch of items he didn’t recognize. Cold air blew out of it and he shivered. He closed it again and then opened it, cocking his head. “The light turns on when you open it and what is it?”

“A refrigerator. For storing food at a stable temperature for long term use.”

“That is amazing.”

Next up was the sink. He scowled at it but summoned his courage and gently tugged the lever on it up. Water poured out of the faucet and he jumped back, then paused jaw on the floor. With just two fingers he turned the water on and off again. “What is this? Magic?” 

“Plumbing. Come I’ll show you the shower, you should wash Mantle off before sleeping.”

The bathroom was a place of wonders, Ozpin explained it through before showing James how to use the shower and set the temperature. James put a hand under the spray with sneer awe in his voice. “Hot water on demand…”

“How we live has come a long way. Think you got everything?” Ozpin asked.

James nodded. “I think so, thank you.”

“Good. Take your time.” Ozpin left and shut the door behind him.

James stripped out of his stinky clothing and stepped cautiously in under the water. It was nicer than standing in the rain and the warmth was so strange. He raised his head to feel the water on his face. It was so nice, he thought he preferred baths but  _ hot _ water on  _ demand. _ That still was sinking in. He washed slowly, Ozpin having outlined what all the products were for. By the time he turned the water off he smelled like chocolate mint.

The towels were strange as well, so fluffy! He walked out with one slung around his hips and found Ozpin dozing on the couch. “What now?”

Oz rubbed his eyes and stretched with a yawn. “Now to bed with you.” He got and lead James to his guest bedroom. 

James was in shock at the duvet, everything else was familiar but that was new.

“Goodnight, or morning whatever. If I’m not up when you are just knock.” Ozpin left again.

James closed the door, this was all so far beyond strange. He hung his towel on a rail behind the door and pulled the light feather duvet out of the way. The broad man felt so out of place, out of place and time. The mattress sagged under him but he could tell instantly that it wasn’t stuffed with straw like the one he had been using up till now. He inched back and laid down,  _ this must be what laying on a cloud is like. _ The pillow was a novel thing, no scent of hay, just soft goodness. He pulled the duvet up, it was so easy, no layers to mess with, no furs to slip. He took a deep breath and didn’t even notice when he fell asleep.


	6. Orientation

Afternoon was surreal. For James did not wake till dusk was pressing in on Atlas. He came into awareness sharply with a deep breath, followed by a slight cough. The tall man slowly sat up, leaning on an arm. The softness of the bedding, the warm smooth sheets. He was free of that swamp, of the crones. Then as that sank in a new feeling pressed in on him, a _hunger_ like he’d never felt before. His jaw ached as his stomach contracted, a gnawing pit at his core.

He swung his legs out of the bed, the floor was cool but not the cold he was accustomed too. James wondered if it was possible to go without socks in a place like this. He wouldn’t have dared it before but he had centuries of feeling everything through a layer. The blue eyed man yearned to touch things with his bare skin. A stack of clothing had been placed on a drawer.

Curiosity running abounded he headed over ignoring the pain in his stomach and shook out the first item. Pants it seemed, hadn't changed much over the centuries, only now they were kept up with elastic rather than string. He pulled them on and wondered what they were made out of as they were very comfortable. The trousers were white and he would later learn to identify the cut as dress trousers. After which he marveled at ‘buttons’ which had come a long way since he had last seen one. His memories were a bit foggy but he tucked the shirt in then tightened the trousers up with a thick brown belt the buckle seemed to be steel. Lastly he grabbed the socks and grey undercoat before seeking out the kitchen.

Ozpin wasn’t there but he heard the turning of a page and found the immortal in the living room. James wasn’t sure what to make of the other man, they had known of each other before the curse took James but they didn’t know each other. “Afternoon.”

Ozpin looked up from his book, those small brown spectacles low on his nose. “Afternoon, nice to see you woke up right on time.”

“Pardon?” James set the extra clothing down on the back of the sofa. “Thank you for the new garments.”

“I had time to kill and I thought they would suit you.” Oz put a finger in the book marking his page as he laid it on the back of the sofa.

James noticed it was leather backed and the pages were yellowed with age. “Still what do you mean? By right on time?”

“Sit.”

James almost bristled at the clipped order but sat down, soft sitting spots were going to take some getting used to as well.

Ozpin tapped the book with a few fingers before speaking. “While you were sleeping like the very literal dead. I did some research. For example did you know that you don’t sleep?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Tell me then James, did you dream?” Oz cocked his head to the side. “Or did you just drift off into oblivion the moment you shut your eyes?”

James’ brow furrowed as he thought it through, he didn’t remember any dreams. There had been nothing till he woke with this damn hunger gnawing at his belly. He did remember dreaming before he had given in to the curse though. They had been a precious escape from reality. “I did not.”

“As I thought, see when I woke up curiosity got the better of me and I checked your pulse.” Oz said, almost smiling.

James’ hand flew to his neck as he pressed two fingers to a vein, a slow monotonous thud pounded away under them. He let out a sigh of relief. “And?”

“And while you slept you did not have a heartbeat. I thoroughly checked, your body temperature also lowered to room temperature.”

“But I breathe, my heart is going now it’s on the slow side but-.”

“I don’t believe you were sleeping.” He tapped the book again. “With that little tidbit in mind I went hunting. I believe you succumb to torpor.”

“Torpor?”

“In this it is recorded as the state those of the undead variety have instead of sleep. A state where they pass for being truly dead. Are you hungry?”

James blinked at the sudden change of topic. “Starving.”

“Hmm come then, I have a theory to test.” Ozpin got up taking his book with him.

James drifted after him, feeling hopelessly lost. Ozpin opened the book and set it on the counter out of James’ sight and opened the fridge. He pulled out a brown wrapped package.

James could smell the contents instantly and drool started to pool in his mouth. “What is that?” He pointed at it.

“Pig, they are as close to human as can be found.” Ozpin pulled open the wax seal and set it on the island and pushed it over to James. “Go ahead.”

James tried to contain his enthusiasm, but the hunger got worse with the smell in the air. He yanked the packaging the rest of the way off, the round cut of meat would really give him something to sink his new teeth into. He couldn’t resist doing just that, the blood oozed into his mouth. His eyes closed as he moaned, it was even better than the bison from the day before.

Ozpin watched with a critical eye as James lost himself in the meat. It seemed his hunch had proven right, after all there weren’t that many creatures that started out human with teeth like those. He had a couple more hunches he needed to test but he let James first devour over half of the round before savouring those last few bites. Till he was licking his fingers clean and using them to wash his chin making sure not even the slightest smear of blood was left. “How do you feel?”

James yanked his mind back into awareness of the moment, the hunger was quieted but not gone. “Better, not full. That feeling is still there.” He thought back on to how the last time he had eaten he finished with one of Ruby’s petals, that they made this hunger shut up.

“Interesting.”

“I… I hand some bison yesterday then one of Ruby’s petals. Then it was quiet.”

It clicked and Ozpin heaved a sigh. “Alright then, I think I know what you are.” He opened the book up and flipped back several pages before turning it around and offering it to James.

James looked at it and then sighed. “I can’t read… whatever that is.”

“Ah apologies, you probably never had a chance to learn much Mistralian much less the newish dialects.” 

The blue eyed man glared. “Of course not.”

“We will have to work on that. That aside, I think you are based off of a nagaraja. A flesh eating vampire.”

“I was cursed to be a zombie not a vampire and I can move around in the daylight just fine.”

“That is why I said ‘based off of’, whoever made Watt’s curse come true clearly took some creative liberties. A true nagaraja would _have_ to eat human flesh, I think you can make do on animals. Also at least when you are conscious you are alive, which a true vampire never is. We shall have to keep an eye out for any powers of the nagaraja that you might develop with time. Can you access your Aura?”

James pursed his lips and focused for a moment, it was a bit more sluggish than before but sure enough dark blue Aura flicked to life on his skin.

“Interesting. So your soul is intact. Are you still hungry?”

“Yes. But it’s manageable.”

“And eating one for Ruby’s petals quieted it?”

“Yes, one yesterday it made this hunger finally shut up and tasted…” James trailed off the hunger in his guts spiking at the thought of how it tasted. “There aren’t words for it.”

“Very interesting. So you don’t appear to need blood but that could be because you’ve already been substituting it for raw Aura. Something with an even deeper connection to the lifeforce of an individual.”

“You think I’ve been eating bits of her soul?!” James stood up sharply, his hands gripping the table till the wood cracked.

“Yes, I am willing to bet even when you were mostly alive you were nibbling off of her. Probably just by proximity, it would explain why her Aura didn’t restore while you were around her.”

“Her pain was my fault?” James collapsed back into the stool. He had wanted to help her, to take care of her and it was him that had been the problem.

“I wouldn’t go that far, she was already knocked flat when you met her. But yes, you did perhaps slow her healing to a more normal level. I don’t think you hindered it though, just her Aura.” Ozpin flipped a page. “Still it could be worse, at least we can feed you without murder being on the table.”

“Wait, when I found Ruby there were bodies everywhere I didn’t feel the need to eat them.”

“The book mentions that they have to be freshly dead, you need fresh flesh not carrion.” 

James’ shoulders slumped as his voice dripped with sarcasm. “Because that’s _so_ much better.”

Ozpin chuckled. “I stand by it could be much worse, you have rather lucked out.”

James didn’t know what Oz meant by that but he could make guesses. He could day walk for one, he rubbed his temples. “Now I wish I had done this two centuries ago, back when people died all the time.”

“Yes I can see how that would have worked. We shall just have to visit a few morgues and keep an eye out for bodies with no families.” Ozpin mused as he reread a page.

“You’re not seriously suggesting I eat people?” James couldn’t believe that Ozpin was just taking this all in stride.

“I think if you do, you’ll be able to be around Ruby or the rest of us without nibbling on our Auras.” Ozpin looked up over his spectacles. “Because I take it you have no desire to leave her. Not after giving up what was left of your life to save her. Thank you, by the way.”

James didn’t know what to say or do, the idea was abhorrent but would it be worth it to be able to be around others without worrying about hurting them? “I just… you don’t have anything like this. How are you so calm?”

“Let me show you something.” Ozpin walked around the table and set a forearm against it. He raised a fist and tested it against his arm then before James could jump brought his fist down on the arm.

James jumped but was a second too late to stop Ozpin from breaking his arm. “What the hell?!” Panic and terror ran rampant through him as he reached out and grabbed the arm at the break. He wasn’t at all ready when Ozpin grabbed him by the throat of his dress shirt and kissed him. The panic and terror drained away, suddenly it seemed not so urgent that Oz’s arm was broken even as he felt it heal under his touch. No suddenly everything was calm and nothing was horribly wrong. Even the horror at his new unlife faded away.

Ozpin drew back back, shifting his hand around to support the newly lax James. “I am calm James, because I have been where you stand.” He reached out with his newly healed arm and pulled their bodies flush. “I know what you are going through.”

“What was that?” James said his voice was completely monotone. 

“You were fucked over by a curse, I was kidnapped by True Fae. Made into changeling. You feed on flesh on the life force of a person. I feed on the glamour of a person, their emotions.” Ozpin reached up and stroked down the side of James’ cheek. “You tasted like a perfectly cooked steak just now.”

James felt his emotions start to return, embarrassment at being held, mixed in with shock but with a hint of joy at someone who really could understand what he was feeling. As Oz’s words started to sink into him.

“I think you should take whatever opportunities you can get to control your hunger. So you don’t nibble like I have too. You have the ability to do something I can not and I envy you for that.”

“I don’t understand.” James said.

“I have to feed more often than you, but I am infinitely more subtle. The stronger the emotion the more nourishment I get but I must do this often. I never get to feel… full as you do. You can feed completely, but I will _never_ reap glamour. If I were to feed like that. I’d take every little scrap of emotion from a person, I can shatter their minds and leave them living husks. Given the choice I would pick your curse.”

James moved back into the stool with Oz’s help, they sat together, their knees almost touching. “That’s how you figured out what I was so fast. You’re already part of that world.”

“Yes.”

“What are you then?”

“I am… what we call among the changelings a ‘Fairest’.” Ozpin looked away with pursed lips. “I was a… show piece for my...” Oz clenched his fists, his throat closed as he thought back on those long years of abuse. “My master… I am sorry I can not.” 

“Are you under an illusion then?”

Ozpin reached up, took his glasses off and set them on the table.

That sure as hell answered James’ question. To say that Ozpin was beautiful didn’t quite cover it, it was clear though that whoever had been his master had taken great pains to make Ozpin look _fae_. His ears tapered back into elegant points his eyes swam like molten gold. His hair which appeared ashen grey started to reflect like silver, platinum, gold all flowing against each other. His features didn’t change much but then perhaps that had been what drew a fae to him. His natural beauty that they had chosen to build upon.

Ozpin watched James’ jaw connect to the floor, those blue eyes flicking around him. “It extends the whole way down, as I said. I was a beautiful show piece, a perfect pretty knight to my master.” He put his glasses back on and the shine dulled away, suddenly James was able to look away from the painfully beautiful changeling.

“Thank you for telling me.” James said. “I have heard a bit about True Fae. I know I can’t… begin to understand what was done to you in Arcadia.”

Oz nodded. “At least you are truthful about it. But do me the favour and feed when you get the chance. I don’t want my friends to be harmed, by however you are meeting the need to consume human life force.”

“Like you are doing?”

“Yes, but don’t misunderstand. What I just did to you was the closest I’ve ever come to reaping someone. All I really need is to be close enough to a person to feel what they are feeling. When I feed it’s nearly impossible for a person to notice. It’s like… say for example you’re in the worst most agonizing pain of your life like it’s so bad you can’t think. If I were to feed off of you, it would dull just a little. Maybe clear your mind to manage the rest of the pain on your own. This can be applied to any emotion, you will meet Nora for example I am sure. She is always hyperactive and she tastes like lemon bon bons when she’s like that. I just take enough so that Ren can calm her more easily.”

“So pretty harmless.”

“I like to think it’s symbiotic rather than parasitic. I take a little from them, they can control themselves more easily as a result.” 

“And you don’t want me upsetting that by accident.”

“Correct.”

James nodded. “Alright I get it, I’ll do my best to check my… feelings on the matter. Should the opportunity arise I’ll take it to _feed_ properly.”

“Thank you.” Ozpin sighed with relief. “I would prefer if you did not mention this to any of my students. Qrow is the only one who knows.”

“Is he a changeling too?”

“Yes. He is a Beast to where I am a Fairest. We had the same master and I rescued him when I escaped, thankfully he managed to hold on to his humanity and-. Let’s just say it was his capture and bringing to Arcadia that prompted my escape. You could say I saved him from the same prolonged… he didn’t lose as much of himself as is normal. He is a very weak changeling as a result, much more mortal. But he is like me, immortal enough to keep me company after all this time.”

James wanted to speak up, to say that the Ladies of the Wood were akin to fae not True Fae. Those who reside in Arcadia and the Wylde were cut from a much more powerful and chaotic cloth. He understood how the fae could mentally, physically and spiritual torture and abuse a person. That he himself and bucked under such a master but had come to accept it. He didn’t though, for the Ladies of the Woods wouldn’t hold a candle to a True Fae. What he went through, would be nothing like what Oz went through. Instead James leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on Oz’s cheek. “Should you ever want someone new to talk too.”

Ozpin dipped his head. “Thank you.”

James looked over to the book and pulled it over. “So does this book mention anything I might get out of being mostly a nagaraja?”

Oz took the opportunity to change the subject with no small amount of glee. “Oh yes, it mentions something it calls Fortitude which seems to manifest as ways to make yourself very sturdy.”

“Uh that will work well with my Semblance.”

“What is your Semblance?”

“I can make my skin turn to metal, it costs me less Aura then stopping a blow with just Aura. Thus allowing me to save the bunk of my Aura for offensive attacks.”

“That is handy. Another thing it mentions is Auspex which is loosely described as the ability to see things beyond the mortal eye and some level of telepathy and finally something odd here called Oblivion. Which seems to do with shadows and wraiths. To be honest I’ve never had much to do with the dead so powers of the Abyss are well outside my knowledge. This book is rather annoying and vague on what can be learned.”

“Well it's a start.” James said as the hunger started to return. “I need to go eat one of Ruby’s petals.”

“A sound plan, after we should go out. You have a lot to learn.”

“Sounds good.” James got up to seek out one of the mouth watering petals.

* * *

A lot to learn, didn’t really cover it. James was just grateful that Ozpin just started him at the academy. First was a tour, the library, quartermaster, training rooms, gym, classrooms, the forge. Which James would deny any drool that may have been present at the sight of the place. Guns were novel and he wanted one, he wasn’t sure what kind yet and would have to learn to shoot but they were definitely an interest. Ozpin was chatty but after his confession to James, he could see it for the act that it was. That’s Oz’s mind was still in the past, that there was a darkness that lingered in the corners of those copper eyes.

Now they were riding the elevator, all of Atlas below them. James couldn’t help but stand by the window and admire its beauty. “I wish I had been braver sooner, there is just so much.”

Ozpin was leaning against a window, arms over his chest. “You couldn’t have known.”

“That’s true but I feel as if I shall never catch up at this rate.”

“I’ve had an idea on that.”

James looked over. “What?”

“You look like you’re only twenty tops. We could see if we can talk Winter into enrolling you at Atlas, get an ID sorted out and you with a formal job in this new world. What better place to get a foundation about the world than in a school?” Ozpin flicked a couple fingers out.

James hadn’t thought of that, Oz was right he did look very young. He had been twenty five when he was cursed and his body hadn’t aged since then. “I like that idea. It would be nice to have an excuse to meet new people without forcing the issue. What is it that you do though?”

“I’m just a huntsman currently, I could teach but right now I prefer working in the field. I’m also on the short list for on call huntsmen to accompany students into the field for accidents. As well as working with the Ace Ops a bit on the side.”

James nodded, he liked that idea as well but it would be better to relearn the world first. “Well I would prefer the first idea if you can get this Winter to allow it.”

The elevator came to a stop and James was loathed to turn his back on the setting sun as he followed Ozpin out into the floor. He noticed the emblem of Atlas on the floor and the two additional halls but followed Ozpin down the main one and through two thick wooden doors. The office was perfect in his opinion, constellations depicted on the ceiling, a half dom of glass behind an enormous wooden desk. Bookshelves and regular columns lining the room.

However it was the woman behind the desk that demanded his attention. Winter Schnee General of Atlas and Headmistress to the academy was a stunning woman of around thirty if he was to guess. She wore her white hair up in a bun with her bangs free on the left side. A white pleated blouse with a dark blue waistcoat. She looked up to the two men revealing ice blue eyes. “Ozpin.” She said clipply.

Ozpin dipped his head. “Headmistress Schnee. How are you this fine afternoon?”

“Busy.”

“Nothing new there then, should you need any help just ask.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Winter’s gaze flicked over to James. “So this is him? The… nagaraja? The man out of place in time?”

“Yes. Winter this is James Ironwood, James this is Winter Schnee.” Ozpin introduced them with a gesture of his hand.

James bowed slightly from his waist. “Pleased to make your acquainted my lady.”

Winter’s lips lifted for a moment before the smile vanished. “Likewise Mister Ironwood. I’ve read about several of your campaigns during my schooling. The battle of the Narrow Sea in seven eighty one was a stroke of tactical genius.”

James blushed, he remembered that one. It had been a skirmish with Mistralian and Vacou pirates lords. The monarchs of Vale and Mantle had teamed up to fend off the force and he had been given command of both armies. He had earned his stripes as not only a general of the army but of naval warfare as well. “Thank you Miss Schnee. I will admit I am woefully out of the loop on modern warfare but I greatly look forward to seeing what has changed.”

“Perhaps at that time I will have work for you.” Winter said, her inner teenager wanted to squeal at the opportunity to work with a legend.

“Speaking of which.” Ozpin clasped his hands together getting both of their attention with a soft clap. “I’ve had an idea Winter.”

“Oh?”

“Let’s enroll James as a student, he looks young enough to pass for one and it will give him everything he needs to get situated in the present year. You can place him in with Ruby, Weiss and Yang, given that they lost Blake they need a new forth. I’m already filling in for the loss of Jaune for Ren and Nora and Qrow assists when they go out on missions. We’ll finally have those teams filled out again. Qrow, Ruby and myself can tutor him on what he has missed.”

Winter pursed her lips, she had put the old Beacon students in the second year program and she had no doubt that James wouldn’t need combat practice and could use that time to catch up on the other course work. He did look young enough and even then it wasn’t abnormal to get older people in who wanted a change of career. Furthermore he was a gold mine just waiting to be tapped. “I agree on the condition you share with me how you plan to feed him.”

“For now we have found that animal flesh takes the edge off. Makes his needs manageable. With your consent I would like access to the morgues and to be able to… keep tabs on bodies that no one would notice missing. I am sure we can find a mortician who can help on that front.”

Winter pursed her lips, it was disgusting but she had read the short file Ozpin had made for her that morning when he put together his hunch over what James was. While her first instinct had been to cast him out, but he was the greatest general in the history of Solitas. That was reason enough to bend a bit for him. “Agreed. Get him oriented and properly introduced to his new team.”

“Thank you Winter, is this alright with you James?”

James nodded. “Yes, I mean it’s pretty perfect. Though will I be staying with them? Or can I stay in your guest room?”

“It would probably be best if you stayed with me. Besides I don’t think you’d fit in the regulation beds.”

“And you can eat in the mornings privately, it will save you having to explain your condition.” Winter said. “Ozpin gave me the number to your Scroll, I’ve most of a huntsman in training license already complete. I have you down as a shark faunus for now, think that will be good enough?”

“Sounds perfect.” James said, suddenly aware that he didn’t actually have to hide his teeth and could just pass for a faunus.

“Good, I will have your file finished by morning and your teachers informed. Just stay with Ruby’s team and you will be fine.” Winter dismissed them by turning her computer screens back on.

The two headed out together and when the doors were closed Ozpin grinned. “Well that went well!”

“Yeah, I just hope I don’t stick out like a sore thumb.”

“I think that’s unavoidable.”

“Oh joy.”

“Come on dorms are this way.”

Sure enough he did get stared at, James tried not to glare. Though he had a feeling he was getting stared at because he was new in the wing for second years. Ozpin really wasn’t kidding when he said that he’d fit in. James had never been grateful to be ageless before. Ozpin stopped beside a door; the name plaque above it looked like it had been taken down recently. James could see the darker paint of the now empty rectangular space.

Ozpin pressed on a button by the door and it opened with a hydraulic hiss. “Good afternoon ladies!” He waltzed in.

“Oz!”

James’ heart managed to quicken several beats as Ruby flew through the air and collided with Ozpin. Her legs locked around his waist and she snuggled her face to his neck. Ozpin hugged her back just as tight. “I’m surprised you’re out of the hospital so quickly.”

Ruby took a moment just to snuggle, having him be close did make her feel better. He was so powerful and strong, with him she was always safe. “I wasn’t hurt, once I was rehydrated they let me go.”

“I’m glad you are better now.” Ozpin nuzzled her cheek. “Now I have a gift for you.”

Ruby moved and Oz let her down. “Oh?”

Ozpin stepped to the side and held a hand out to James. “Look who found you.”

“JAMES!” Ruby zipped to him and hugged him tight. “You’re okay!”

James found it pretty cute how she was hugging him like he’d vanish if she let go. “Yeah turns out whoever did the curse had a sense of humour.” He patted her on the back awkwardly.

Ruby pulled away with a blush, she forgot that not everyone was used to being pounced on. “Well I’m glad you’re okay.”

Ozpin closed the door behind James as Ruby pulled him over to one of the four seats. “Now we have some news. You have all already read about James Ironwood's military history correct?”

“Yeah, I didn’t recognize you when we met in that swamp.” Yang said.

James blushed. “Yes well, I haven’t been a general for a long time and there were no photographs back then.” What a new strange word.

“What is this about Ozpin?” Weiss asked, she thought that James was very handsome. Even if his teeth worried her.

“Given that James is two centuries out of date and in need of a new job. He will be replacing Blake as part of your team. You three will help me with bringing him up to date and with the first year of course work that he had missed.”

“SWEET!” Ruby bounced. “You’re not stuck in that swamp anymore… what’s the catch?”

“Yeah good question.” Yang said.

“You can.” James dipped his head to Oz.

“Yes it was a good question.” Ozpin took a breath. “James has been cursed to be a variation of a nagaraja. A flesh eating vampire, so far we have determined that he can get by on animal meat and are working to work out what else he might manifest.”

“Neat~.” Yang purred.

“Yang.” Weiss scolded.

Ruby cocked her head at James. “So… you’re okay then?”

He shrugged. “I can day walk, Ozpin and the headmistress are working out how to uh feed me. I’ll be staying with Ozpin, just to help keep the curse under wraps. I’ll be passing a shark faunus should anyone ask about my teeth.”

Ruby wasn’t sure what to make of that, but she wasn’t sure it was something to worry about either. “That sounds like a good idea, and it will be cool to teach you about everything!” She bounced on the tips of her toes.

“We’ll need a new team name.” Weiss opted to reserve judgment for now.

“Oh oh I got one!” Yang said. “Rye! RYWI!”

“Like the bread?” Weiss scrunched up her nose.  
Yang bounced over to James. “Yeah Ironwood dark brown,” she zipped over to Ruby and hugged her. “Ruby red. Rye!”

Ozpin chuckled. “I will bring it up with Winter, I think it is a good name.”

“Fine, if only because it does work.” Weiss huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

“Excellent, I will leave him in your care. I need to go find Qrow. Message me when you head to bed.” Ozpin reached out and gave Ruby’s head a pat as he went.

“Okay, I promise to be a good guide!” Ruby purred under the pet.

“Bye.” Ozpin left and James felt horribly out of his depth.

Yang zipped over and sat on the desk beside James. “So what are we going to do with a cutie like you? Man I am glad we got a guy for once. Most of the guys in our year are plain assholes or like Jaune.” Yang stuck her tongue out.

“Ren is pretty.” Weiss offered.

“Yeah pretty not sexy.”

 _Is this girl talk?_ James wondered. “I am sorry for your loss, of Blake?”

Yang wilted. “Yeah Blake but we’re huntresses, we die. I’m trying not to dwell on it.”

James could understand that, he had seen many soldiers die. He couldn’t dwell on every one either, he’d drive himself mad. “So, I am to join you for classes tomorrow. I would appreciate a start on what to expect.”

“Sure!” Ruby pulled out a holopad. “I saved all my coursework from last year, I needed something to review while on the road and Ozpin was super nice to add to it!”

James ended up stuck between the two girls as they had their own ideas to add to his first lesson in what it was to be a huntsmen. Between the history, Grimm studies, infrastructure and first response courses. Nevermind the likes of engineering which he was quite sure he was going to love. He had a very busy night.


	7. A Very Ruby Date

James was feeling rather dizzy by the end of the first week. An overload of information, he was managing it and he had very eager teachers. However it was still being yanked by his family jewels into a new century. Come the end of the week, he wanted nothing more than to sit in his room and just enjoy the quiet. Thankfully the teachers had taken his appearance in stride, he had become James Oakwood just to avoid any potentially complicated questions. He walked into the flat he now shared with Ozpin and to his room, then paused sharply. His twin swords were laying on his bed. He had been rather bitter that he had forgotten them in the swamp, but going back and risking the wrath of the crones for them didn’t seem worth it.

He dropped his side bag and walked over to the twin blades. The leather was supple and familiar in his hands, he drew the meteorite blade slightly and sighed in relief as it was as he left it. Perhaps he wouldn’t need the steel blade anymore, he couldn’t help but hope so. He grabbed it and set it on the dresser. Then felt a smooth stand of something on the other side.

James flipped the blade over and tucked in was a short lock of Falka’s hair. He’d know it anywhere. He untied it from the blade, set the blade aside and sat on the edge of the bed. Without really thinking about it he wove the hair into a braid, then wrapped it around his left wrist. He tied it tight and rubbed his thumb over the silken hair. He found himself longing for Falka, her endless support and fiery temper. He laid back and wallowed in the loneliness for a moment before he heard it.

“Ow Oz~!”

“Hush you should have mentioned this earlier.”

“Blame Clover, he distracted me!”

“Yes the good luck charm does seem very distracting to you.”

“He tastes good. You can’t say you haven’t noticed.”

“He’s a bit too… bitter for my tastes.”

“So I was right when I thought you were nibbling on Ruby’s embarrassment. You’ve always liked how she tastes.”

“What? You can’t deny that she’s nice.”

“True, but that doesn’t diminish how Clover can be.”

“He’s bitter beer most of the time.”

“Yeah and him and Ruby together. Yum.”

“He taints my honey fruity Ruby glam.”

“You’re just spoiled.”

James listened to Ozpin warm laugh, it was a strangely nice sound. A little too perfect, it made him want to laugh but he wasn’t sure why.

“Yow!”

“Quit squirming!”

James got up as the curiosity got the better of him. He followed the yelps to Ozpin’s room and knocked lightly on the door.

“Come in!” Ozpin called out.

James opened the door and stopped sharply. Qrow and Ozpin were both nude with Qrow sitting cross legged on a white sheet. Ozpin was kneeling behind him with a comb in hand and tweezers in the other. All around them were black feathers and fur. Qrow’s forearms were a rosy red as after his elbow thick feathers covered the back of his arms. “Am I interrupting something?”

Oz huffed. “Just me trying to tidy and groom this unruly brat.”

Qrow preened showing yet more feathers on his back as they puffed up. “You love me anyway.”

James wondered if he had walked into something more intimate then they admitted. There was something more to Ozpin’s smile, he could see that there was a form of love between them. What kind was impossible to tell. “If you’re grooming why are their feathers everywhere?”

Qrow huff slumping.

“Qrow!”

“Right right.” Qrow sat back up and purred as Ozpin returned to grooming his back. “Ozpin mentioned I’m a Beast seemling right?”

“Yes.” James picked his way into the room and sat down against the wall.

“Yeah so too many beast traits to pass for a faunus. So Ozpin helps me manage my feathers.” He tapped a forearm. “Plucking myself is hard so Oz helps with that too. Only uhhh, I’ve kinda got behind on my feathers so we decided to make a day out of tidying me up.”

“I thought you used illusions for that sort of thing.”

“Illusions don’t work on the sensation of touch very well, so it’s better to get a bit more physical with hiding them.” Ozpin said.

“Makes sense.” James found it almost funny as Qrow flinched as Ozpin plucked another broad feather. “I was uh listening, why err how…”

Qrow and Ozpin shared a look then both laughed. “Ah sorry, that must have been odd to hear.” Oz said.

“It’s part of our grooming tradition. It’s only with each other we can be our changeling selves. So we take the opportunity to talk of things that other people wouldn’t understand. Food for example, or well glamour.”

James felt that loneliness return, he missed talking to Falka. “That’s a nice tradition. So what do I taste like?”

“Meaty!” Qrow grinned then yelped as Ozpin pulled another feather.

“Please stop moving.” Ozpin soothed the skin with a thumb. “But yes, you are flavours of meat. Right now you’re a bit rancid though, so we haven’t been nibbling.”

“Yeah what are you so depressed about?”

Ozpin boxed Qrow over the head lightly and glared at him.

James watched Qrow shrink under the Fairing’s scorn.

“What? You can’t blame me for wanting steak with my beer.” Qrow leaned away from him and soothed his ruffled feathers mixed in with his hair.

“It’s fine Ozpin, honestly it’s nice that I don’t have to try and vocalize my feelings.”

“That is rather our thing, we are both Spring Court. We use our ability to feel emotions to culture the emotions we like to feed on.”

“What’s that?”

“DESIRE!” Qrow snorted and flopped forward.

“I prefer passion but yes, we are creatures of the pleasures of the flesh.” Ozpin plucked a handful of feathers from one of Qrow’s shoulder blades. “Forgive Qrow, I think he’s been indulging in Clover o’beer a bit much over the last couple days.”

Qrow giggled into the sheet. “Clover o’beer~.”

James couldn’t help but chuckle, it was pretty funny. It was only because he was being aware of it that he could feel the feeling of amusement dull the tiniest fraction. Qrow looked up and crawled forward slinking sensually over the ground. “Yumm, you should laugh more.”

Ozpin stood up and grabbed Qrow by the nap of his neck. “Keep it in your nonexistent pants Qrow.”

“Oh come on Oz~, you think he’s yummy too~.” Qrow flopped back onto his butt. “We should make him laugh more.” He snorted and giggled.

“If you keep this up Qrow I will flippen babysit you in the library till you sober up.” Oz sat back down and got back to work.

“Na come oh Ozzy~, boredom is yucky.”

“He can nibble on me Ozpin I don’t mind, especially if it helps him sober up.”

“See he said it was okay!”

Ozpin rolled his eyes. “Fine. So what is bothering you James?”

“Just overwhelmed I suppose, missing Falka too.” James shrugged.

“It has been quite the change for you.” Ozpin said. “How have you been fitting in with your team?”

“Well I think, it’s refreshing how they treat me like a student. It’s almost possible to forget I have two centuries on them.”

“That’s good I was a bit worried but it’s nice to hear they are adapting well to you. Hmm ask Ruby out, she wants to help you but doesn’t know how.” Ozpin said.

“I am confused, I thought Clover was… courting her?”

Qrow snorted but was slowly coming down from his inebriation, James’ meaty emotional flavours leveling out the glamour he had been consuming. “Clover is trying but nothing saying you can’t hang out with her too. Ruby doesn’t know what she wants, she’s cute like that. Extend the hand, give her the option. She’ll take you up on it. And we get to enjoy her lovely peach flavour if you get her worked up.”

James blushed at Qrow’s evident arousal, it felt very little to his imagination by what he meant by worked up. “Is that out of the norm for her?”

“Ohh she’s randy lots but she only gets peachy when she is in love~.” Qrow pouted. “But she’s getting better at hiding that.”

“She is?” Ozpin leaned over to look at Qrow’s face.

“Well yeah she- you know what that’s a secret between me and her.” Qrow shook his head. “Emotions change and evolve with time. I don’t want to confuse things for everyone.”

Ozpin had no idea what Qrow was on about but decided to let it go. “Alright you know her best.”

“Damn straight! I am the best uncle ever!”

James pulled his Scroll out of his pocket and pulled up Ruby’s number. :What to go out?:

“Yes yes. Best uncle ever, keeper of her secrets.” Ozpin patted Qrow’s head. “Now quit moving I’m almost done.”

“Fine. Besides I’m sobering up and I hate it.” Qrow huffed his hands in his lap.

:Are you asking me out on a date?: James read the text message with a smile and replied. :Only if you are open to it, otherwise I just want a day out without the usual bombardment of new information.:

:A date would be fine. Meet you in the great hall in ten minutes?:

:Sounds perfect.:

“So you got a date?” Qrow asked.

“Yes, can you-?”

“Taste it yes.” Ozpin said. “Your excitement is a different flavour, you just became… smokey. In that sweet way.” Oz had to swallow the drool gathering in his mouth.

“Yeah,” Qrow purred. “Hold on to that for a bit it’s good.”

James rolled his eyes, he’d have to seek Qrow out in the future when he needed a pick-me-up. The man was rather funny. “Well thank you two for this. I did not expect to have such a conversation today and it was entertaining.”

“Hey we live to entertain and be entertained.” Qrow mock bowed.

“Done!” Oz tossed the comb over his shoulder and hopped to his feet. He set about brushing his legs down trying to get the rogue feathers and fur off of his legs. 

“Finally!” Qrow got up with a wobble and shook like a wet bird. Stray black feathers puffed up into the air.

“Ack Qrow!” Ozpin waved a hand trying to keep the feathers from landing on him.

“Now I understand the sheet.” James said getting up.

“Yeah makes cleaning up easier.” Qrow brushed his remaining feathers and skin down.

Ozpin plucked a feather that had found his way into his hair. “It was supposed to help keep them off of me.”

“Which is why you’re nude, I get it now.” James hummed. He had been wondering about that, he thought it was just casual intimacy between them. Now he understood it was just practical.

“Yup, now shower!” Qrow waltzed straight for the bathroom.

Ozpin huffed as he kept trying to get the feathers out of his hair. When he heard the shower start he said. “I swear between him and Ruby I’ve adopted two children.”

“Something tells me he’d rather you buggered him.” James said with a shrug.

“Oh yes, that will be later. As I said we are Spring Court after all, but… even after all this time he confuses me. A lover one day, a child who just wants to snuggle the next. But I supposed that changeableness is in our nature. He is young yet so maybe he will settle with time.”

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know. I do know I like caring for him. I suppose that is enough for now.” He frowned.

“What?”

“My master liked caring as well… in his own demented way.”

“I am sure you’re not anything like him.” James moved to him and pulled the last few feathers out of Oz’s hair. Then he gently squeezed Oz’s shoulder.

Ozpin cocked his head at James. “You are very perceptive.”

“I… The Ladies of the Woods aren’t True Fae, that much I know but I do know what it’s like to be at the mercy of another kindness.” James treasured the genuine smile that earned him.

“Thank you James, I hadn’t thought about them.” Oz tipped his head towards the bathroom. “I should… go pet him.”

“If you two need another to understand.”

“I’ll let him know you’re open to being included. Again thank you James.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” James let Oz’s shoulder go and left. He found that reaching out to the two was soothing to him, they were monsters too, just a different kind. He stopped over in the main bathroom and checked his hair to make sure he was tidy and feather free. Then headed out, he had added a scarf to his uniform. He liked hiding his pointy teeth, less staring.

The halls were busy with students milling around after finishing classes and several nodded to him. James wondered why so many seemed to not mind him. He was a full year behind his class year but he had no trouble thus far. Or what he did have less knowledge in he had more than enough to breeze through Grimm studies and survival. He doubted those classes had anything to teach him and he had been permitted to hit the books on the classes he did need to learn the foundations for.

Ruby was already in the great hall when he arrived. James couldn’t help but smirk at the instant blush on her cheeks. “So where are we going?” He asked as he approached.

“Grimm hunting!” Ruby said as she pulled her cloak closed. “We’ll be getting a train to the docks for a ship down to Mantle.”

James followed her by her side as they headed out. He enjoyed the brisk fall air and filled his lungs with it. “Gods I love _not_ smelling swamp.”

Ruby giggled. “Yeah I can imagine how nice that must be.”

“Hey Ruby!”

Ruby huffed and turned, putting a smile on. “Hey Clover.”

Clover Ebi the leader of the Ace Ops, slowed from his jog. “Heading out already?”

“Yup, James has agreed to take me to the west outpost. I haven't been there yet and I want to go shooting.”

Clover put a hand on his hip. “I thought you’d spend it catching up on the school you missed.”

“Oh I will, but I just got out of classes and I know I work better after a break.”

“Good idea then, will you be back soon? I was thinking of taking you out for dinner.”

“Uh no thanks Clover, you are right and I do need to get to work. See you later.”

“Alright see you.”

Ruby pulled James along by a hand. James let her pace them and when they arrived at the train spot to wait for it she spoke up. “Thanks for letting me handle that.”

James looked the train stop over, he had never seen anything like it but given how people were milling around this wait seemed normal. “It seemed the thing to do, I have no idea who that was and you don’t need to be defended from him.”

“Thanks for that.” Ruby giggled. “Qrow likes to get in the way. I know he just likes to protect me but I can take care of myself.” Her smile fell away. “Most of the time.”

James moved to stand at military ease. “Well, that’s what you have friends for.”

The petite woman looked up at him with a shy smile and blush. “That’s a good point.”

The train came into the station and they got on, it was cramped so they ended up standing together. James reached up and grabbed the overhead bar. He almost stumbled as the train started to move, Ruby stepped into him and steadied him. “Sorry should have warned you.”

“First you can fly, now you have speeding trains. What else is there?”

“Uh, trunks, motorcycles and snowmobiles?” Ruby tried not to think about how hard the muscles of his eight pack were under her fingers. She dropped them and blushed, when a person behind her shifted and she stumbled straight back into James’ chest. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” James said, too distracted for more as he started to feel her warmth through his undercoat. His fingers twitched, he had long wanted to know what her hair felt like.

They arrived at the dock and caught a ship down to Mantle. Then it was a short walk to a huntsmen station, James couldn’t help but stare at all the different types of vehicles. Learning to drive just moved up on his list of things to do. Ruby pulled out her license and borrowed one of the snowmobiles. “The base isn’t far and it’s heated so we should be fine.”

James stepped up as she started to push the bike out into the snow. “I do have a question, how am I going to shoot when I don’t have a gun?”

“There are basic rifles on standby, I checked while I waited for you.” Ruby pulled a pair of gloves on and hopped onto the bike. “Come on. Snuggle up.”

James got on behind her and moved her cloak to wrap it around her middle and hide his hands in it. He had opted to start a personal vendetta against gloves, he had lots of things he wanted to touch now.

Ruby started the snowmobile and James tightened his thighs on the seat as they started forward slowly. The rumble of the engine was very strange. As they hit the snow pack Ruby sped up, focusing on the road. James on the other hand slowly sat up straighter as they went faster and faster. A smile growing over his lips, he had to pull his Aura to protect him but his heart raced. “This is fun!”

Ruby glanced into a rear view mirror to see him grinning. She would have never guessed that he would be a speed demon, maybe they had more in common then she thought. She raised her voice to be heard over the wind. “Snowmobiles and motorcycles are the only things I can drive but I can teach you if you want!”

James leaned forward wrapping an arm around her waist. “Oh definitely want.”

“Well let’s go shooting first and I’ll give you a lesson on the way back.”

“Thank you.”

Ruby sped them up again, no longer worrying about frightening her passenger. She could feel him laugh against her back. The tundra sped by them and after another ten minutes they came up to an outpost. A small fort with a garrison of huntsmen. She slowed down and pulled into the parking lot behind it’s stone walls. “Here we are.” She turned the engine off.

James almost pouted. “Alright where to next?” He got off and followed her into the fort.

“First we hit the armory to get you a gun, then the wall.” Ruby skipped into the building and James followed behind her. The interior was very sparse with just a few tables to eat at a small kitchen however the armoury had two racks of rifles in several types as well as a few shotguns. 

“Ooo.” James drifted over to the rifles.

Ruby giggled and bounced over. “You’ll need something long range so no shotguns for now. Plus Qrow could teach you those better.” She pulled a rifle off a rack and looked it over pulling the lever back and checking down the barrel. “This one is nice and clean here.”

James took it and had no idea what to do with it, he did like the weight of it though. “Nice heft.” 

The silver eyed warrior blushed as he held the rifle like a natural. “Well it fits you.” She bounced over to a side table and picked out a scope that would match Crescent Rose Mark II. James offered her the weapon and she clipped it on, then took it back from him.

“So that was a scope; this is the stock, trigger guard, safety.” Ruby guided him around the weapon, pointed out each part and gave him a run down of what they were for. She walked over to a table full of ammo and clipped a magazine in and loaded a round. “That should be good, any questions?”

“Give me five minutes alone with it and I am sure I will have a dozen.” James said and picked up several extra magazines and a box of ammo that she flicked a finger at.

Ruby giggled. “Yeah that was me too when I first started. Come on up we go!”

James chuckled as he followed her up a stone staircase to the roof of the fort. It was clearly used as a sniper's nest. The floor had a few padded spots for people to lay on their stomachs to shoot comfortably for long periods of time with a roof to keep the snow off. There already was a huntsman there watching the south through a pair of binoculars. 

Ruby flicked out the bipod as she flopped down on one of the mats and set the lock. She peered down the sight and adjusted it. “There that should be good, get down here it’s your turn.”

James laid down beside her as she moved over.

“The butt goes here and you have to keep your face away from the scope, otherwise the kick back will give you a black eye.”

“Okay.” James let her move his hands around to hold the weapon properly.

She nodded satisfied, “Good.” Ruby flopped down beside him pulling Crescent Rose off her back and transforming it to sniper rifle mode.

James glanced over at the beautiful weapon. “You made a new one?”

“Yeah, she’s really close to the old one. I downsized the thickness of the blade a lot and added a proper halberd function as well as sword. She’s more like Qrow’s Harbinger now.”

The blue eyed man found it adorable that her weapon was a ‘she’. “Well she’s very pretty.”

“Thank you.” Ruby giggled as she looked through her scope. “I spy a Beowolf at one o'clock.”

James turned his attention to looking down the scope till he found the Grimm. “I see it. Now what?”

“Oh oops almost forgot.” Ruby reached into a side pocket and pulled out a wind gauge. “For your noobness.” She placed it just outside the wall on a little alcove for it. “It’s a long way off so you’re going to have to factor in the wind.”

“How much?”

“Hmm,” Ruby flopped back down and peered down her rifle. “I’d aim eleven centimeters to the right of the wolf. It’s far enough away that if you miss you’ll have plenty of time to try again.”

“Okay.” James could feel Ruby hovering over him as he aimed. He found it amazing that he could see the red of the Grimm’s eyes at this distance. Very gently he squeezed the trigger, the shot rang out and he tightened his grip as the shot went wide of the Grimm. He lifted and pulled the charging handle with a bit of lurch pushing the bolt forward and seating the round. He aimed as he fumbled slightly getting his hand back into position to fire.

Ruby dropped back to her own weapon and watched the Grimm start to run towards them. “You’re good, try again. Let out half your breath slowly and hold the rest as you squeeze the trigger.”

James picked the gun up more holding it tighter to his shoulder as he aimed again. This time he was ready for the buck and his shot zoomed over the Grimm’s shoulder. He adjusted again and fired. The sight of the Grimm’s skull exploding was very satisfying. 

“Nice only three tries.”

“It definitely takes some getting used too.” James looked up over the tundra.

“Rifles aren’t for everyone, but they are what I know best. We should try you out with as many different types as possible to see what does mesh with you.” Ruby didn’t look up from her scope. “Two more coming over the hill, same spot as last time.”

Ruby kept watch and James practiced, he was a natural but it still took practice but within ten shots both of the Grimm were dead. She sat up and showed him out to remove the clip. “These clips are thirteen.” She grabbed one of the full magazines and offered it to him.

James took it and awkwardly reloaded the weapon. “Good to know.

Ruby sat with her legs crossed and opened the ammo box, she started to reload the magazine. The bullets clipped neatly into the magazine. “There is a lot of variation. Crescent Rose has twenty bullet mags, but I only really carry two extras around with me at a time. Unless it’s a long mission but having extra boxes in a backpack is a better use of space.”

“Hmm.” James kept looking down the scope. 

Ruby giggled. “Into it already?”

“It’s… oddly relaxing. There is a rush when I hit the Grimm but just looking is… gosh I need to relearn more common.”

“Yeah I get what you mean.” Ruby put the full mag down where he could reach it easily then stepped over him and gathered up the shells and put them in a box labeled ‘used’ to James’ right. She plopped back down beside him and scouted out the tundra with her rifle again.

The wind blew and the huntsman put another couple Dust crystals in the space heater. James wished he had asked Ozpin for a new coat, he had seen some students wearing trench coats that looked very appealing. He hadn’t really had time to think about his wardrobe yet, much less build a style as he was starting to see was normal for a huntsmen to do. “So… do you do this often?”

“No, I would like too but my team keeps me busy and Qrow has been distracted by Clover. Before I started at Beacon he’d take me shooting whenever we had the free time.”

“That must have been fun, Qrow was with Ozpin earlier. He seems like a very funny man.”

“He is but I kinda don’t like it when he jokes around. I know he’s just coping.”

“How do you mean?”

“Just between us?”

“These lips are sealed.”

“I am pretty sure Ozpin and Qrow are changelings. A lot of what they do matches up with the stories. So that means they were once at the mercy of the True Fae, though the stories call them ‘The Gentry’. Which means that they are totally mentally messed up and are combating that trauma in their actions. Qrow drinks way too much and Ozpin, well I’m not sure what he does but I’m pretty sure it’s sexual in nature.”

James pursed his lips. “I… you’re right. Ozpin doesn’t know that you know though. He told me, when I was struggling to come to terms with what I am.”

“Yeah I guessed that, I just haven’t brought it up because it doesn’t matter.”

James glanced over. “Really?”

“Yup, I don’t care that they are changelings. I’m pretty sure they feed on all of us but it doesn’t do us any harm and I love them anyway.”

“You should tell them that you know, I think it would make them happy.”

“I’ll think about it. There is another one.”

It only took James two shots to explode the Grimm’s skull.

“So how are you?” Ruby asked as the Grimm turned to dust.

“Okay I suppose, it’s a lot to get used to but everyone has been so kind to me.”

“So… I’m not to uh excitable?”

“No, it’s really quite sweet.”

Ruby pulled her hood up as she blushed. Sweet was not how her bounciness was typically described. Annoying was more like it. “Oh.”

James wiggled down to look at her more easily. “It’s fine really. I’ve had two centuries feeling everything through a layer or several. I err _like_ that you pounce on and touch me. Like I spent way too much time on that train wanting to pet your hair. I like being touched and touching.”

The petite woman wanted to turn to goo, she liked to touch too. “Thanks, I’ll be sure to keep touching you.”

“Thank you.” James let the gun go and reached out and stroked over the back of her glove with a finger. It was cold and the leather tight.

Ruby set her gun down and pulled her gloves off. She put a hand in his, blush rose to James’ cheeks but he turned his attention back down the scope. She took a long breath. “Uh, I haven’t had a chance to thank you for coming for me yet. Qrow told me that it was you who found me.”

“You don’t have to thank me, you are my friend. Despite how I messed up.”

“But I should, you went from being like alive and-.”

“Miserable.”

“To a nagaraja for me. You were almost like normalish and now you’re a vampire.”

James lowered the rifle and held her hand just a fraction tighter. “It was worth it, if you hadn’t been in trouble I might never have had the courage to leave the bog. You were my first friend in a very long time, giving up that life to make sure you were safe… well if I had to do it over the only thing I’d change was doing it sooner.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you are a total sweetheart?” Ruby asked.

James chuckled. “No but I don’t mind hearing it.”

“You’re a sweetheart James. I am glad that I didn’t push you away.”

“Me too, just… well I am really out of practice on this whole human interaction thing. Can you do me a favour and tell me if I screw up again in the future? I just want to thank you profoundly for not shoving me away, you could have forgotten about me entirely. I don’t want to risk repeating the same mistakes, but I do like protecting people. So chances are good I’ll do something stupid under that ideal in the future.”

Ruby giggled. “Hey I like protecting people too, it’s why I wanted to become a huntress but yeah, if you do something dumb I’ll let you know before I get angry.”

“Thank you.” James let her hand go and grabbed the gun again. “There is a pack coming in.”

Ruby grabbed her rifle and they made a game out of shooting the Grimm. Ruby of course won but James had fun honing his aim. Their arms brushed each other as thanks to Ruby being left handed her casings went left while his went right sending perfect complementary arcs through the air.

“You’re getting good at that fast.” Ruby said as the last Grimm turned to dust.

“It does feel quite natural. I learned to use a crossbow a long time ago but the range and accuracy is so much better with this.” He sat up and rolled his neck. “Though the crossbows were much quieter.”

“Well I’m glad you’re having fun, it will be nice to have someone to go shooting with more often.”

James nodded as he pulled the magazine out and pulled the bolt back. A bullet shot out and he grabbed it out of the air. “Oops, got distracted.”

“Yeah that can happen with a gun you’re not used to. You can just give it a clean and reuse it.” Ruby kept her sight on the hill the Grimm had come over, just in case.

James rubbed it down to make sure there was no residue on it and reloaded the magazine. The metal was very cold but he found he enjoyed the feeling of the smooth bullets on his fingers. The act of reloading did have a strange relaxing feeling. “Hmm, I definitely could get used to this.”

The petite woman grinned. “Yeah it’s relaxing. When we get back to Atlas we should go to the armory and find you a gun that suits you.”

“I would like that, maybe something closer in range? I’ve fought close range all my life and something to add in to that would make the most sense.”

“Maybe a pistol, something you can use with one hand?”

“Sure, I think I know those. How many rounds do those have?”

“Depends on the type but is pretty common to have six. But you have to keep that in mind going into a fight.”

“Good to know.” James put the mag down and laid back down beside her. He pulled the charging handle and then aimed, then did it again. Practicing the action.

Content that there were no Grimm coming, Ruby put her weapon down and watched him. He really was a natural. There was a saying about how you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Yet he was an old dog in mind but a young one in body and he seemed _very_ good at learning new tricks. She wondered how quickly he could pick up other weapons. “You’re gonna be really good at that.”

James paused in his practice. “Really? It just seemed the thing to do while there aren’t any Grimm.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to see you with a weapon made for you.”

James felt his cheeks heat and reloaded the rifle. “Well more Grimm inbound.”

They spent another hour shooting Grimm, James growing proficient with the rifle. After-which Ruby showed him now to clean the rifle and they headed out. Ruby sat forward again as James sat behind her.

“Snuggle up.”

James shifted forward keeping several centimeters between them.

“Closer.”

He inched forward and she reached back and tugged him close till their hips were flush. Her tight buns pressed tight to his crotch. James’ cheeks blazed, but Ruby demanded his attention.

“So this is speed, fuel and engine rotations. This is break and this is the accelerator.” Ruby pointed to each part and leaned forward with a little wiggle getting comfy so James could see everything more easily.

James leaned forward taking the handles as Ruby started the engine. She wiggled again making his cheeks blaze, she reached out and rested her hands over his and guided him on how much to press on the accelerator and how much to turn to get them out of the fort. As they existed Ruby moved her hands setting them on the leather before her as she leaned back into James’ chest.

Cautiously James increased their speed and when he had handle on that Ruby pointed out into the tundra. “Slow down and take us out there. You can practice more freely.”

James slowed down and turned towards the tundra. Ruby shifted back. “Put your legs towards the back and press down and gently press on the accelerator.” They moved together and the front of the bike raised enough to crest the snow back. “Release and lean forward.”

The bike came down with a soft thud. “And you are good. I’ll keep an eye out for any stones.”

“Thank you.” James thought he spent a lot of time saying that lately. He opened up the throttle and with Ruby guiding him through turns for the first few times. He got comfortable till they were zooming around. He found it was rather like riding a horse, only you had more control. Ruby giggled as he really got into it, taking corners tighter and faster. Moving with him, as he played.

“Having fun?”

“I think I’m in love.” James slowed down so they could talk easily, turning to the road to Mantle.

Ruby giggled, she was in love with his huge warm chest. “I’m glad, bikes are more fun to drive then anything else.”

“Ozpin said he’d teach me how to fly.”

“Ooo, I should get in on those lessons.”

“I’ll be sure to mention it.” He shifted forward and hoped she couldn’t feel the erection pressed into her behind. When she wiggled he was sure she could.

“Good. I’m hungry, do you want to stop in Atlas for dinner?”

“Uh, okay but I’m not sure what I can eat.”

“Oh?”

“Beer tastes awful while raw meat is amazing. I haven’t tried anything that’s not meat yet.”

“Ohh.” Ruby’s shoulders sagged, she had forgotten about his curse. “A restaurant is probably not a good place to test your limits.”

James could feel her wilt. “Well… maybe we could find a steakhouse, I can eat the meat you can take care of the rest.”

Ruby lit up again. “Perfect!”

They came to the huntsmen station and Ruby paid for the Dust they had used. As they left Ruby slipped a hand around James’ arm. The streets were busy. “I know a spot in Atlas.”

* * *

The spot turned out to be a hole in the wall but as soon as James opened his mouth to greet the waitress she pointed a sign on the door. ‘No Faunus’. Ruby scowled, she hadn’t noticed it before. “Jerks.” She hissed as they walked down the street.

James reached up and fixed his scarf to cover his mouth. “Some things never change.”

“Was it bad when… before you left?”

“Yes, but I didn’t ever have to interact with it before.” James tucked his hands behind his back at military ease as they walked.

Ruby closed her cloak and pulled her hood up. “So back to the academy?”

“Yes, we both have class work to do.”

“How about I grab something from the mess then we eat in Oz’s flat? That way we can still hang out.”

“Sure.”

James lingered outside the mess while Ruby went in. The smells were repulsive, it made him very sure that he couldn’t eat many things. Yang grinned at him as she walked over. “Hey James, where’d you and Ruby disappear too?”

“Ruby wanted to go Grimm shooting, so we headed out to do that. She also taught me to drive a snowmobile.”

Yang laughed. “Of course my sister took you shooting for a date, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”

“She’s going to help me find a gun type for myself.”

Yang kept on giggling. “Daww that’s cute.”

James had no idea what Yang was talking about but decided that was fine.

“Yang~, leave him alone.” Ruby walked over with a tray of food.

Yang reached over and draped an arm over her sister's shoulders. “I wasn’t doing anything~, he was just telling me about your date. Gonna seduce him with your gun cleaning talents. I’m sure he’d _love_ to blow his load all over you.”

They both blushed and James covered his face with a hand.

“I mean, you riding together that nice butt against him. Bet that sure loaded his rifle.”

“Do you really have to, Yang?” Ruby huffed.

“Hey you’ve never taken a guy out before, I need to take the chance! It may never happen again!”

“I’m sure this won’t be my only date.” Ruby growled at her.

“Good! You should let him sheath his sword in your scabbard. I bet it would do a lot of good to make you both less pent up.”

James massaged his temples. “It hadn’t crossed my mind, I haven’t had sex in over two centuries.”

Yang beamed like the sun. “Ohh, hey Ruby~, just think how much fun it would be to fix that. I bet he’s all sensitive.” Yang made a grabbing motion with her hands.

“Don’t give her more ammo James!” Ruby yelped.

“Hey he’s the one with the stockpile.”

Ruby and James groaned at the pun. “Okay we are leaving! You’ve had your fun, come on James!”

“Yes please.” James followed Ruby out into the hall.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t Rubs!” Yang called out after them waving.

“Is your sister always like that?” James asked as they got into an elevator.

“Pretty much, you really did make it easy for her.”

“In my defense I don’t have any years of gun puns or jokes under my belt.”

Ruby groaned. “Now you’ve gone and done it.”

James looked down at his belt reflexively before he caught on. “Oops.”

“Maybe you should hang out with Yang more just so you become less of such an easy target.”

“I get the feeling Qrow and Ozpin would be able to help educate me as well.” The elevator doors opened and they headed out.

James opened the door and took Ruby’s tray as she took her cloak and boots off. She headed to the sofa and sat down while he took his boots off and went to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and paused staring for a moment at the little brown packages of his food. He grabbed a small one and shut the fridge. Usually he just ate here, not with Ozpin. Making her eat alone didn’t seem right.

He pulled his scarf off and grabbed a bowl, he unwrapped the raw meat and tipped it into the bowl. At least that way she wouldn’t have to see it. James almost gagged at the smell of a turkey and mashed potato dinner that Ruby had tucked into. The tall man forced himself to walk over and sat down as far away from her food as he could manage.

Ruby looked over. “You look green.”

“Vegetables are definitely off the menu.” James raised his bowl to his chin and grabbed the bloody piece of meat and attempted to have a discrete bite to get the smell of her food out of his nose.

She looked away and set about eating her own food before she could smell his. It was early for dinner so she had only picked a little bit and would probably have more later. They both finished quickly but James found he had a problem. Like before the raw meat only tempered the hunger, it didn’t quash it. Worse yet he could smell _her._ James swallowed thickly, with no wind to temper it her scent was easy to pick out.

Ruby blushed as he stared at her. “Are you okay?”

James jerked his gaze away from her. “Yes, I just…”

The silver eyed warrior shifted over and reached out to rest a hand on his knee. James couldn’t help but look at her, he could feel how warm she was. His hand moved of its own volition, a finger traced along her jaw.

“James?”

Strawberries and roses, James decided, that was what she smelled like. It filled his senses as that hunger in his belly roared. Ruby squeaked as he leaned in, ending up on her back as he crowded her. She looked to his eyes and saw a slight white glow behind the pupils of his eyes. “James?” She asked again as he leaned in, mouth opening to reveal the sharp teeth glistening with saliva. Ruby summoned her Aura and punched him with all her might straight into his chest.

James crashed back into the sofa, that _thing_ behind his chest made him snarl at the attack. Ruby pounced on him, summoned a petal between two fingers and stuffed it into his mouth. James’ hands snapped to her hips before his brain even had a chance to send the command. Ruby pinned him to the sofa as best as she could.

Meanwhile it hit James’ brain that he had a petal on his lips. He melted with a moan as the raw Aura dissolved on his tongue. Ruby huffed and sat back on his lap relaxing. “Back with me now?”

James swallowed though he was loathed to shorten the time he had to enjoy the Aura. “Yes sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

“Your eyes changed colour, so I figured it was something to do with your diet.”

“Yes,” His cheeks flushed. “Animal meat doesn’t quell it and…”

“And you aren’t eating humans.”

“Not yet no, Ozpin is looking into that for me. Looking for bodies no one will miss, though I’m not sure I’ve the will to follow through should he find someone.”

“Yeah that’s pretty messed up, I read a bit up on nagaraja when Ozpin told us what you were.”

“Ozpin is worried that I am feeding off of your Aura just by being close to you.” James couldn’t help but glance down at where she sat on his thighs.

“Aside from when I give you a petal I don’t think you are now.” Ruby pulled out her Scroll and showed him the page that monitored her Aura level. “See already all charged up. So if you are tapping me by being close it’s not enough to do me any harm.”

“Well that is a relief.”

“Are you out of petals?”

James nodded. “I haven’t had the bravery to ask for more.” 

Ruby got off his lap. “Go get that herb pouch of yours, I’ll fill it up then we should get to work on homework.”

“Right okay.” James swung his feet down and fled. He felt like a monster, he had just tried to take a bite out of her. Maybe he should leave before he hurt anyone. He all but crashed into his room and grabbed the pouch. The hunger was quiet but now he knew there was another level to it, that he was a danger to those around him. With that thought James sat down on the end of his bed. What was he thinking really? What had he been thinking? That he could just become a part of this new modern world? That everything would be fine because he found one friend? He felt like such an idiot.

Ruby knocked on the door frame. “Brooding already?”

James half smiled at her. “I supposed.”

The petite woman walked in and took the pouch from him. She put a hand in and filled it with rose petals. “There. Now no doing anything stupid.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You looked like the whole world had come crashing down around your ears.” Ruby hopped up onto the bed to sit beside him.

“I just realized that I am a danger to you.”

“Well yes, and I could kick your butt to Vale and back again.”

James snorted. “I don’t think that’s quite right.”

Ruby put a hand on his thigh as she looked up to him. “James, don’t worry about it. I’m not defenseless, my Semblance lets me become incorporeal. Touching me when I don’t want to be touched is no easy feat.”

“Yes you but what about everyone else?”

“We just keep on top of it, you ask when you need more petals for example. You don’t have to be a monster, we can find ways to meet your needs without hurting anyone.” Ruby hopped off the bed. “Come on, we’ve slacked off enough. To the library!”

James chuckled and got up following her out, grabbing his book bag as he went. Yes to the library where there were a lot of people to protect her should something go wrong.


End file.
